Her Pathfinder
by GamerGalKat
Summary: A group of college students traverse to Mars on a mission created by NASA, only to discover an Prothean integrated Remnant device that transports them hundreds of years into the future and another far off galaxy: Andromeda. Our lead heroine, Evangeline Roberts, gets swept up in current events when she encounters the Pathfinder, Scott Ryder, who's professionalism seems overbearing.
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome to Andromeda

_Summer, 2018._

 _NASA has been to multiple universities around the United States, looking for students who wanted first, hands-on experience to be launched in space, and to be the first ever to set foot on none other than the red, enigmatic planet. Mars. They had nearly given up their search, as most of these college students were not in the best shape to take on this mission. However, eventually a group was found. Years prior, an astronaut by the name of Charlie Roberts was scheduled to set sail for the moon, a dream he wanted since he first saw Neil Armstrong walk on its surface. Right before launch, however, he discovered quickly that his illness was the cause for his denial to touch the stars. Now, years later, his only daughter he named Evangeline Roberts, was specially selected, along with four other students, to be the first to set foot on the mysterious planet of Mars_

 _There is one mission objective:_

 _To find the water that scientists discovered there back in 2016._

 _However, they did not expect to find themselves stuck 2.5 million light-years away, on a planet with hostile aliens and a team led by one man that would change their lives forever._

 _Especially the life of Evangeline Roberts._

 _And the story begins here._

* * *

"Serendipity, this is Ground Control. Are you reading us, Hunk?"

"This is Shelia Hunk. I read you loud and clear, Huston."

The static of the man's voice on the radio made what sounded like a sigh of relief, although it was difficult to tell. The static of another's radio went off, and a highly pitched voice chimed in. "I cannot wait to get off this boring ass planet, already! How much longer?" She sounded annoyed (and practically full of herself), but indeed, even the others were wondering the same. "Soon, ma'am." The voice on the radio belonged to a large, burly man sitting next to Sheila, the redheaded woman in the cockpit. His voice was older, thick, and very masculine. She remembered him from the briefing yesterday, said his name was Sam Rockwell, but that his friends called him Rocky, because of some inside joke. "You are our passengers. We're trained for space flight, and know all the procedures to get us off the ground. Please, try to relax, ma'am." Her auburn eyes glanced at the talkative girl's tag on her spacesuit. Gulliver, V. That's how everyone's name tags were, including her own; Roberts, E. "You sound so manly, mister," the girl with the high pitched voice replied, almost in a seductive tone. Was she seriously trying to hit on him? He was a good thirty years her senior. "My God, Valentina, lay off the dude." The new voice on the radio belonged to an obviously annoyed young man. Her eyes moved towards the other individual, reading his tag. Tillman, J. The girl named Valentina made some sort of scoff sound, as if annoyed with him as well. "Well, _excuse_ me!" she replied in a nasty voice. "I didn't realize that you were in control of _my_ life. Who died and put _you_ in charge, anyway?" "Oh my God, Valentina, shut up." "No, you shut up! I am allowed to flirt if I want, am I right, mister?" Rocky cleared his throat, but that's all that was heard on the radio. He was too old to even get in the middle of this argument. "Well... there is no harm in a little chat, bubba! Like, _seriously_!" They continued to bicker back and forth, causing her to become uncomfortable sitting across from them. "Wow. They sound like some old, married couple, don't they, Evee?" Now that was a voice she recognized, and that very voice belonged to the man beside her. She didn't need to look at his name tag.

She tilted her head at him, a grin spreading on her lips. "I wouldn't exactly call them that, though, Alex." He tilted his head towards her, a small laugh emitting from the radio. "Oh? And what would you call them, Evee?" "I dunno. I barely know them," she replied simply. Alex seemed to laugh, his blue eyes gleaming despite the suit's bulky design to see this expression. She has known Alex almost their entire life, since elementary school. He was in a grade higher than her, but was so fiercely protective of her. His life was one of sorrow and tragedy, one he looks back on with mournful eyes. It is one of the reasons he has a hard time getting to know anyone else. Especially people who seem to be interested in him. That was the fault of one person who she dared not speak the name of. A tiny strand of hair seem to have gotten loose from his ponytail, which he had gotten cut recently before this mission. The sides were shaved completely all the way to the nape of his neck, where only a little bit of his hair remained to make it into a ponytail. His beard seemed to be thicker than last month, too. He must be growing it out still. She looked at the other two bickering students. They obviously were from the same university as her and Alex, but she didn't know them all that well. Except perhaps Valentina, who seemed to have a different boyfriend almost every time you turned around. But other than that, she didn't know them enough beyond their faces.

"That's enough, you two," an older voice quietly snapped at the bickering students, leaning forward in his seat. This was one of the professors at Alex and Evee's university, an old astronomer by the name of Bradley Stevenson. From what Evee understands, he is the man responsible for specially selecting her and the other four students that were here. She only heard of him in passing from Alex and a few of her peers, but never met him personally until two weeks ago, when this project began. "It's not like I recommended you to NASA so you all could bicker. This is a very important assignment, and we were picked for this. You are the smartest ones in your fields of study. You might even be working with one of these people one day. Can we _please_ try to make a good first impression?" Alex made a coughing noise on the radio, bowing his head respectfully. "Sorry, professor. We'll go radio silent for now." "Thank you, Mr. Montgomery. Mr. Tillman, Ms. Gulliver?" "Shutting up, prof," Tillman said before a clicking sound was made, indicating his radio was off. "Fine," the girl named Valentina groaned in annoyance, before her radio also promptly clicked off.

It was quiet for a while in the shuttle as everyone sat anxiously, strapped tightly in their seats. The sounds of the pilots clicking the buttons and switches on the consoles were a bit deafening inside these heavy, bulky suits, which seemed to almost lull Evee to sleep waiting. "Well. This is exciting," a new, younger male voice chirped, waking her from her daze. Evee looked to see that the voice belonged to a young man she knew from one of her classes, although she didn't recognize him by his last name on the tag. However, she did know him as Nikolai, someone whose family was from Russia. He had a slight accent when he spoke, but he spoke English surprisingly well that people hardly notice it. She looked at his tag, but it was difficult to read from here. Either that, or his name was just difficult to pronounce in general. "Is there something you want to say, Mr. Lebedev?" Professor Stevenson asked, glancing over at Nikolai. "Nah. I just wanted to make small talk. Might as well, since we're waiting. I despise the silence." Everyone seemed to agree with this, even the pilots. "Well... I suppose some small talk couldn't hurt," the professor agreed. "So long no one decides to turn it into an argument over something ridiculous." He glanced over at Valentina and Tillman, who didn't seem to either notice or care at that moment. Alex was the first to chime in, replying to Nikolai. "I hate the silence, too. Especially when we are finally up in space. Man, it's making me nervous just thinking about it." Nikolai seemed to have made an agreeable sound, but the radio made a soft static noise when he did. "Back in my family's home country, they always told me that I would be here one day, because of my _deduska_. He was apparently a space man himself in the sixties!" The student with the Tillman name tag leaned forward to look at him, his expression unreadable because of the glare on his helmet. "De-what?"

Nikolai laughed in the radio loudly, slapping his knee. " _Deduska_. 'Grandpa.' What did you think I said, Judas?" So, his name was Judas. Judas Tillman... wasn't he the one who wrote that paper on quantum physics about a year ago? She would probably have to ask Alex later for confirmation. Judas shrugged his shoulders, waving his hand dismissively. "I dunno. Some weird mumbo jumbo." Nikolai made a sound on the radio that seemed as if he was dismissing Judas' claim, but seemed to press on. "Does it bother you? Me saying some words in Russian?" "Well you know English, right?" The question Judas asked was obviously one of sarcasm, and not exactly meant to be answered. Everyone could see what he thought of Nikolai's way of speaking. The American-Russian student decided to ignore him, turning to Evee. "What about you, Evangeline? Does me saying some words in Russian bother you?" She wasn't sure why he was asking her this, but they were acquaintances. Maybe he was looking for a friend to just help him out. "Not really," she replied with a smile. "I think it's cool, especially since I can learn some Russian from you." This alone caused him to break out in a large smile, another loud laugh emitting from the radio. "Haha! That is true. And who knows! Maybe we'll get to meet a Russian-speaking Martian!" She laughed wearily, leaning forward to take a peek at him. "Okay. That's seriously doubtful, Nikolai." Nikolai leaned forward as well, as if trying to get close enough to look her in the eye. The radio crackled as his mic turned on, his voice calmly replying as his smile remained. "I said 'maybe,' _podruga_." "Now what does that mean?" Judas asked, his arms crossed over his chest. Nikolai looked over his shoulder at the man he sat beside, before leaning back and relaxing a bit. But a coy smile still graced his lips.

"It means 'girlfriend.'"

Judas made a sound on the radio as if he were surprised by this, his arms suddenly dropping to his knees. "Y-You two are..?" Nikolai pulled back in surprised, the sounds his voice made on the radio that of shock. "What, no! _Sladkiy iisus_! Don't you know? I'm not your stereotypical American-born Russian." Everyone seemed to stare at Nikolai as if confused by this statement, which Evee certainly was. She was curious as to what he meant. She knew the stereotypes that were used to portray Russian people, thanks to the movies she's seen growing up, which is not the best way to get an honest opinion on a race of people. A sigh on the radio was heard from Nikolai's mic as he gestured with his hand towards the male passengers. "I'm into _guys_." Everyone seemed to get what he meant now, and caused a lot of discomfort with Judas. It seemed Alex got a kick out of Judas' misfortune, as he and Nikolai both did an air high-five from across where they sat. Evee smiled at this. It was good that they had someone like Nikolai, who was different from all of them. He was unique as the world's most exotic flower. This is what the team needed: diversity. Without diversity, they would be a pretty bland group as is, and their opinions would practically be identical to the next. This was good for them, their team.

"Ground Control to Serendipity. We read that all systems are green. Are you ready to initiate the launch sequence?"

Rocky clicked one final switch on the console before sitting back, nodding to Sheila. "Ground Control, this is Major Rockwell. We can confirm that we're ready for launch." "Acknowledged. Initiating countdown sequence..." The rockets on their shuttle burst to life as the countdown sequence started, everyone suddenly going silent as they were readying themselves for launch for the first time. Judas certainly wasn't having a good time, as his face was very strained from the unbearable quaking that the shuttle was undergoing.

 _10..._

Nikolai whooped loudly as the countdown began, his expression that of pure joy. "This is it, _druz'ya_! This, is, it!" He laughed dramatically as he threw his head back to whoop again.

 _9..._

The professor seemed to bow in prayer, his voice barely audible in the mic as the countdown continued. Judas seemed very uncomfortable with the violent tremors of the rocket, nearly hurling in his helmet.

 _8..._

Alex peered over at Evee with a friendly, warm smile, taking her hand in his. He was so happy when he learned that they selected her, for he knew this was a dream come true for Evee and her family. And soon enough, they would travel into space together.

 _7..._

Evee held her breath a moment, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering excitedly as she comes to a sudden realization. This is real. It's actually happening. "I can't believe we're doing this..."

 _6..._

Alex continued to stare at her, the grip on her hand tightening for a moment before he spoke. "Having second thoughts, Evee..?" he whispered softly, his voice on the radio calm and serene.

 _5..._

She turns her head to him, a smile ever growing on her lips. She had tears in her eyes. She knew she shouldn't cry during launch, but she couldn't help it. This is where she belonged. "No... I've dreamed of this moment my whole life."

 _4..._

"I'm can't let my dad down now," she said finally, her hand squeezing Alex's as well.

 _3..._

He smiled wider as he heard her say this through the radio, both leaning their heads enough to just barely nudge their helmets together. "That's my girl."

 _2..._

She smiled up at Alex as her first tear finally sheds, her heart pounding excitedly as she looks out the tiny window above. This is where she'll gaze into space for the first time...

 _1..._

"Godspeed, Serendipity. We'll see you in two years time."

The rockets initiated and propelled their shuttle forward, a growing white cloud bursting beneath the rockets as it began its ascension into the sky. It was loud, roaring like the beatings of a loud drum in their ears as their entire world seemed to constantly shake. It was deafening, but Evee stared out the window above her, watching as they broke through the atmosphere, and soon enough, began to dance with the stars. She smiled, her tears suddenly levitating in front of her. This truly was it. They were officially in space. Even through this tiny window, she could see just how beautiful their solar system was. She took a deep breath, a smile ever growing on her face. They would be gone for a long time, but they came extra prepared and were ready to live in the harsh conditions of Mars. They were ready for this. They have trained for it! She caught a small glimpse of Earth one last time, her thoughts going to her parents, to the two who encouraged her to reach for the stars.

"Goodbye, Mom, Dad. I'll be back soon, and I promise I won't leave out a single, tiny detail."

* * *

The Serendipity had been out in space for six months now, drifting ever closer to the gravitational pull that was Mars. They still had about a day or two to go, but they were getting excited for the arrival. The students were unable to sit still since they were told this morning... at least, it was supposedly morning back on Earth. It seemed at lunchtime that they had calmed down and returned to their daily routine, although it can still be seen that most of them were jittery. Evee had been staring out the window since this morning, observing the stars as they twinkled and sparkled. Despite seeing up close how each star was simply a ball of gas, they were all beautiful.

"I call," Rocky said, allowing a piece of candy to float up to his face before catching it with his mouth. He had taught the boys how to play poker during their six month travel, and has had a pretty good winning streak against them all... except Alex, who seemed way too skilled for this. "I raise you another peanut butter cup," Alex said, putting a piece of candy in the fish bowl that seemed to float around the shuttle. All of their bets were mostly on candy goods, which the crew seemed to have a huge surplus of. It turned out that Rocky had something of a sweet tooth, although he admits that he also got it for the ladies on board. He's been on tour in space with Sheila before, and he can safely say, it was best to bring an insane amount of candy. "Royal flush," Alex said, taking the candy out of the fish bowl and stuffing it in a pack with his name on it. "Damn kid! That's the third time you've beat me this week! I'm impressed!" Alex shrugged his shoulders, smirking as he allowed a chocolate bar to float to his childhood friend. It bumped her arm before she realized he gave her anything, causing her to smile and take it. "I guess my stepdad was good for something," Alex replied, popping an mm in his mouth.

Evee watched as they decided to play a less betting card game instead, and as they began to set it up, she decided to float and check on the rest of the crew. The first stop was to the shared barracks in the back of the shuttle. The professor was inside, reading a book on quantum physics as he ate an apple, his glasses held firmly on the bridge of his nose. He had read all seven of his books over three times since the departure from Earth, although it didn't seem to bother him much. She continued on, noticing Nikolai was floating upside down further down one of the halls, meditating with a mix tape that was playing in his earphones. He did this every day right after lunch, said it "strengthens his stomach." She wasn't sure if it was healthy for him to do this, but no one seemed to stop him from doing it. As she continued down the hall, she entered the room where both Valentina and Sheila were, whom were doing crossword puzzles and sudoku respectfully. Evee learned so much about everyone on board over these last six months, like Valentina with her crossword puzzles and even Judas with his writing. However, Judas didn't seem to be in his usual spot with his journal, which was odd. "Hey," Evee called out, looking at the women. "Have you guys seen Judas?" "He's probably in the cockpit," Sheila replied, looking up from her sudoku book. "Rocky put him in charge of watching our approach for Mars today. It's only a matter of time now."

That's right! They were due to arrive in less than three days. This was a moment Evee didn't want to miss with her camera. She quickly floated back to the barracks and right to her bunk, opening a compartment on the wall that had her name printed on it. Inside was a camera, one with exceptional battery life, that was strictly used to record her time in space. She knew this was a moment that had to be captured, especially since they were so close now. She maneuvered over Professor Stevenson's head as she left the room, her camera tightly in hand, as she headed towards the cockpit to see the red planet close up.

Judas was staring out the window of the cockpit, glaring at Mars as he spotted a storm happening on its surface. In beginning of this voyage, six months ago, he was excited, but now it seemed as if that excitement has dwindled for him. He was nervous about this, this whole thing leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He felt like he was the star in a bad sci-fi movie, where the hero dies in the end and he never gets the girl. He smirked a bit to himself. There has been one person that did make this trip bearable.

For the six months he's spent with her, he had come to be quite fond of Evangeline Roberts. The way she talked about space and the stuff that makes up stars caused him to simply stare at her, especially when she gets really into it. She once said something about the reason why she wanted to go to space, but he forgot what it was. He was more focused on her than the conversation at the time. He always wrote about her, writing some note to himself about what he would do if they were officially together. It often led to bad, smutty novel-like daydreams. He chuckled to himself. He has been thinking about asking her if she would like to be his girlfriend. He wasn't sure months ago if he should, but he's certain now. Evangeline Roberts will just have to say yes to being his girlfriend. She just has to.

A sudden hiss from the door startled Judas, causing him to turn around. And then suddenly, his heart was in his throat. "E-Evangeline! Hi!" he said excitedly, turning to face her. She slightly groaned. "Judas, I said to call me Evee. Evangeline is just way too long." He chuckled nervously, turning to face back out the window. "Yeah. Sorry. I wasn't thinking..." They both stared out the window, watching the red planet's storm intensify slightly. Judas took a breath, but was immediately cut off by Evee. "That's one hell of a storm. We're gonna have to make sure we don't land in its path. Or otherwise, we can kiss our shuttle goodbye." "Uh... y-yeah! We wouldn't want that!" He felt like he was acting a fool, but he shook his head at the thought. He needed to stay confident. As he was about to speak again, he saw her pull up her camera and take a picture of Mars and it's storm. Confused, he stared at her. "Wha-What are you doing?" He hadn't seen her take a picture before, despite this camera being a quarter of the way full of photos from this six month voyage. "It's for my dad. I want to make sure I don't miss a thing since he... well, you know." Judas felt ignorant. He really couldn't remember why Evee was taking pictures for her father. Already he knew he was incompetent boyfriend material because of it.

They sat quietly again as they watched the storm, with Evee thinking of her father and mother back home. Was he even still alive? His cancer was flaring up right before she left, and had gotten progressively worse as she trained for this mission. She held the camera close to her chest, a thick lump suddenly growing in the back of her throat. She can't cry here. Not in front of Judas. "I miss him. My dad," she said suddenly, not once looking away from the storm on Mars' surface. He looked at her, a brow raised in confusion. She didn't elaborate. They were silent once again, both thinking of entirely different things. Judas took this time to look at Evee, memorizing all of her features on her face. Her dark hair was short, yet long enough to be put in a ponytail, with bangs flowing to the curve of her cheek, with eyes like two amber stones that gazed so heavily at their target. Her lips were slightly parted, which seemed to be something she didn't notice she did, although he didn't mind it. Her off-white tank top with the NASA logo was perfectly fitted to her body, causing him to stare at her chest a moment longer than he was suppose to. Luckily, she didn't notice this either. He suddenly imagined what it would be like if he and Evee were alone on this shuttle, with nothing but all the time in the world for each other. The only two people left in the whole galaxy. Sounded like a script to a bad sci-fi romance where they both possibly die at the end.

"Anyway... it looks like we're only a couple days out now," she continued, changing the subject back to their arrival to Mars. "It's exhilarating, isn't it? We, some college kids, being the first to set foot on Mars." Judas glanced up at her as he heard her voice, but ignored what she said and simply stared at her, enjoying how the cockpit's lighting illuminated her features. He saw her turn to him, confused. "Judas? Did you hear me?" "Huh? What?" He shook his head as he cleared his throat. "Sorry. I dazed out for a second," he admitted shamefully. "You've been doing that a lot around me lately," she confessed, her voice soft as she glances at him with watchful eyes. "Yeah. I must be tired or something," he dodged, trying to think of something to say before Evee continued on. "Uh so, Evee. There's something I wanted to talk to you about, y'know. If you've got the time." She sighs as she looks back out the window again. "Sure. What is it?" He cleared his throat one more time, turning his neck to crack it and relax. "I was... meanin' to ask you if... y'know. If there's someone special waiting for you. Like... a boyfriend or something?" He felt as if his I.Q. decreased as he spoke that sentence, as it was not spoken the way he would've liked. She didn't look at him, but shook her head. "No. I never had time for a boyfriend. Still don't." Still? "Oh. Well, I guess I should consider myself one lucky S.O.B. for that, huh?" Judas started laughing to himself, although Evee wasn't impressed. "What's that suppose to mean?" she asked, her brows causing a tiny wrinkle between them. He rubbed his neck, nervous and ashamed for the failed flirt attempt. "O-Oh, that? It was- What I meant to say is-" He sighs in defeat, turning away from her. "Never mind." Evee slowly returned to looking at Mars and its now fading storm, her mind reeling and perplexed by his words from moments ago. It was only a minute later when Judas spoke again, floating backwards towards the door. "I'm... going to go see if we have any snacks left."

He pushed off one of the pilot seats and began to float away, silently cursing himself as he failed to tell her how he feels. Six months they spent together in this hunk of metal, and he still had issues with talking to girls. Well, not just any girl. _This_ girl. Evangeline Roberts. As the door hissed opened, he stopped himself, thinking about why she was here in the first place. What was it that called her to say yes to this mission? Why did she want this? "Hey Evee," he called out one last time, turning towards her. She looked over her shoulder at him, replying in a clear voice. "Yeah?" He tightened his fist a moment before relaxing, as if trying to keep himself focused on the question. "Why did you want to do this anyway? Go to space, I mean." It was a question she had gotten many times back on Earth, one she didn't mind answering. Even if it meant repeating it again to someone she's told it to before. "My dad. That's why. He couldn't go to space back when he was an astronaut, because he was sick. Still is..." Judas slowly nodded his head. He could understand a bit as to why she chose this path. "I promised him that I would capture the stars and bring them back to him," she continued, holding her camera close to her chest as she turned back around. "It was his dream to reach the moon, and now here I am, going to Mars." She touched the glass, her eyes drifting to the dust cloud on the planet's surface, her reflection even gazing at the desolate planet. "We're the first human beings to go a place where no man has gone before. It was something humanity didn't believe would be possible in our lifetime. Yet, here we are." Her reflection showed that she closed her eyes for a moment before looking at the planet with determination. "I am going to be the first person to ever set foot on it's surface. I am going to bring the stars back to my dad, and make him proud. This was not just his dream, but mine as well. I can't fail him. I refuse to." Judas was taken aback by the power in her voice, which made her sound like she was the heroine in some epic space odyssey movie. She didn't sound dramatic about it as she spoke her speech, but it was still enlightening to hear. It was as if some grand adventure was about to happen, which rekindled the flame in him. Six months of doing nothing in space got to him, and now, he remembers why he agreed to go. He wanted to write a story, about this mission and his experience, to tell the world what he saw. And now, he wanted to write about him and Evee, and how their time together created this monumental tale about their time on Mars, with (possibly) a romance between the two. Alright, he admitted to himself that he was thinking too far ahead, but he was determined to get him and Evee together.

"I believe you," Judas said in a breathless voice. Evee looked at him through their reflections, smiling a bit. "Thanks. We'll be stranded here for the next two years. We might as well make the best of it." He nodded in agreement, about the leave the cockpit again. "You coming?" he asked one last time, a part of him hoping she would say yes. She was silent a moment before shaking her head, her bangs flowing around from the lack of gravity. "I... wanna watch Mars a bit more before I go. For such a barren planet, there is a weird beauty to it, you know?" Judas was silent and simply nodded as he finally left the cockpit, leaving Evee alone to continue observing the red planet. They were so close to the planet now, just mere days away. They had so much to do when they got there; setting up camp, making sure there is oxygen inside their portable domes, setting up radar to track the storms... It was unbelievable that they were the first to be on such a mission like this, and a dangerous one. She was certain that there were no aliens on it. That was only a thing in the movies. Still, if there was something else there besides what they were looking for... Evee shook her head. There was no way that there was something else here. If there were, NASA and scientists all around the globe would've seen it. Although, if there truly was something else there, Evee was determined to unlock whatever secrets were in store for her. She wanted to be the first to discover everything that Mars had to offer them.

* * *

A plan was made as the days dwindled by, and their distance from Mars continued to close. Everything was set into place, the rations completely put into order, and the supplies needed to create a base were all together. Everyone was excited for this day, when their shuttle would land and they were to set foot on Mars for the first time. Evee was floating down the hall with a bag of their supplies when she heard a giggling voice coming from their storage closet. With curiosity getting the best of her, she floated closer to the open door, peeking inside to see Rocky and Sheila kissing passionately inside. His thick goatee scratched Sheila's chin as their kiss intensified, her hands combing through his thick, pushed-back graying hair as she could feel him press up against her. She pulled away slightly, giggling in a hushed voice. "Rocky. Someone will see us." "Let 'em," he replied quietly, kissing her. "I want them to see how much I love this woman in front of me... the one I'm going to marry when we get back to Earth." She laughed softly, barely above a whisper. "That's two years too long, though." "So?" He kissed her neck, his large hands running through her pixie haircut up the small of her neck. "I loved you since we last went on tour together. Remember? When we went up to fix that panel on the satellite?" She sighs, slowly tugging at his trousers. "I remember," she whispered in his ear before nibbling on his lobe. "Careful," he warned playfully. "If you get me worked up, I might have to do a strip search..." "Ha! I'd like to see you try, handsome." As they continued to kiss once more, Evee tried to sneak by and not disturb them. It was best to leave them alone in times like this, especially since it showed that even in space, love can blossom. However, the bag of supplies she was carrying got snagged on a piece of metal that was protruding from the wall, and a loud shredding sound was heard. Rocky and Sheila turned to see Evee trying to stop the supplies from floating away, which in turn caused her to look at them. "I uh... I didn't see anything!" she said quickly, knowing it was a lie. She somehow got the feeling that they knew it to be a lie, too. But instead of getting angry, they laughed and looked at one another. "I told you someone would see us," Sheila teased, lightly smacking Rocky's chest. "So? Let her see us together. I don't care."

They both chuckled before turning to Evee, and coming to her aid to stop the supplies from floating off. It was actually kind of sweet that they had each other, even in space. Their relationship was strong, and even space couldn't tear them apart. As they brought the supplies back to her, placing them in a new baggage from the storage closet, Sheila took Evee's hands, pleading with gentle eyes. "I don't mind if you know about us, Evee. You're a good girl." She smiled at the older, redhead woman, nodding as she took the newly supplied bag. "Just... one thing before you go. And this is coming from me, okay?" "Sure, Sheila. What's up?" Evee asked, looking up at her. The pilot sighed before looking at Rocky, who was tying the supplies down in preparation for touchdown. "I don't want the rest of them to know about me and Rocky. It will distract them from their mission. Maybe when things calm down and we're all set up, we'll tell them, too." Sheila looked at Evee once more, resting her hand on her shoulder. "But... for now, please keep this between us three. Okay?" Evee replied with an affirmative nod, offering a smile to the happily engaged woman. "You better hurry that along to the supply crate," Sheila said, floating back into the storage closet with Rocky. "I have some... things to take care of in here." The co-pilot grinned from ear to ear as he heard the woman he loved say those words, causing him to turn around and pull her inside. "Yeah... don't want these things to just float away." He moved towards the panel and entered a code to shut the storage closet door, locking it from the inside to those outside. Evee shook her head, continuing on towards the others that were putting supplies in storage crates for the surface. At least they'll have some fun before touchdown.

* * *

"Evee! _Vstavay_! You have to wake up now!"

A blurry figure was shaking her as she stirred awake, yawning as she stretched out. She was lucky she didn't float away in her sleep. Thank God for these straps to keep them in place. She rubbed her eyes before looking up at the figure, although with that accent, she didn't need to see them to know who it was. "Nikolai? What's going on?" "You have to get up now, Evee! We're going to touchdown on Mars!" Never had Evee ripped herself out of her bed straps just to glide halfway across the shuttle to get to the nearest windows. Mars was so close now! And it even looked like they were in the clear of any storms! "Oh my God," she said, breathless. "It's really happening. We're finally here..." Nikolai nearly rammed into her, laughing in pure and utter joy. "Well what are we waiting for, _podruga_?! Let's go get our suits on!" They both floated as fast as they could to where their spacesuits were stored, where everyone was already waiting for them and gearing up. She didn't expect to see Valentina and Judas already prepared before her. It was a tad embarrassing. "Oh my God, like, finally!" Valentina said, in her usual annoyed voice. "Judas wouldn't, like, shut up about you wanting to be the first to set foot on Mars. I seriously thought you would be up before any of us." "Yeah, me too," she admitted, floating over to her suit and beginning to gear up. "I didn't get much sleep last night. Too excited, you know?" Alex could hear that excitement pouring out of Evee's voice, causing him to chuckle. He knew she had been waiting for this since almost forever. Evee had sealed her helmet on her suit at last, a gentle, yet excited sigh escaping from her lips. "This is it, isn't it? I'm not dreaming, right?" "Do you want me to pinch you through your suit?" asked Alex, chuckling again. She laughed before floating over to bop his shoulder. "No! You might damage the suit!"

Their radios in their helmets all crackled to life as they all geared up, Rocky's voice calling out to them. "Everyone. Report to the bridge A-SAP. We need to strap in before we make our descend planet side." "That's our cue," Judas said, floating off past everyone before stopping in front of Evee. "You first, Evee. I know how important this is to you." She smiled at him, grateful for the gesture. He seemed to be doing nice things for her lately, or at least, the last couple months. With a nod of her head, she floated off, heading towards the place they all sat before, back when they first left Earth six months prior. It was a little nostalgic, although clearly it was not nostalgia at all. Evee was the first to strap herself into her seat, followed by Alex and Judas, and finally the rest. It was very exhilarating, to finally be here. To touchdown on the planet that no man had ever gone before. She sighed heavily, nearly breathless again. Her stomach suddenly twisted in knots and thumped around violently. Was she nervous? Well of course she was! This was all new to her; being in space, going to Mars, _living_ on Mars. They would have to for the next two years, since they were not going to be close enough to make it back to Earth again, which would take an additional six months after. Still, to be here, and with Alex especially... Evangeline Roberts was unafraid. She would be brave, and strive forward onto greater things. This was a new challenge, and she would face it with her head held high, and a big smile on her face.

She had to.

For her father.

"Are we all strapped in tightly?" Sheila asked on the radio, her hands working the controls with her co-pilot, Rocky. Everyone made an affirmative sound on the radio in response, all looking over at the captain who was to be their guide to landing this hunk of metal down on the planet. She had done it many times before, when she had to test land these rockets for NASA. And if there was anyone she recommended to be her co-pilot, it was Rocky. He was very skilled with working with flying machinery, since he did work on jets in the military, even flying a couple before he was honorably discharged for a minor head injury. Luckily, NASA seemed to not pin that against him, and still allowed him to fly. It was especially a good thing for Sheila. "Alright, hold onto your butts," Rocky said humorously, cackling in the radio. "Hey! You stole that line from that one movie!" Valentina squeaked. "'Jurassic Park,' Valentina," Judas replied in an annoyed tone. "I-I knew that, doofas!" "Knock it off," Alex replied coolly, shaking his head. Suddenly, the engines were rattling violently, the Serendipity readying itself to land on that red planet.

It was starting.

"Sheila, I'm losing control a little," Rocky said calmly, although there was a hint of concern in his voice. "Wind is effecting our descent. Adjust to the starboard side by ten degrees." Rocky seemed to follow the captain's directions, and soon was back in control. "Board is green again. We're good to go, Sheila." The shuttle rattled and shook as they descended down to the planet, the winds picking up, but not terribly effecting them anymore. Evee looked up at the window above her head, seeing the red dust fly past. She smiles. "So Mars _does_ have wind patterns..." "So it seems, Ms. Roberts," the professor replied. "The storm we saw a couple days ago was just one proof. Now we're gonna be living in it." The Serendipity was rattling violently again, but not from the winds this time. The rockets were causing the rattling, and even made everyone jerk harshly in their seats. It was a rough descent down to the planet, but luckily, thanks to all the procedures and guidelines they followed. Besides, Evee wasn't too worried. Rocky and Sheila were trained professionals. She noticed Judas sitting in front of her on the other side, his head leaned back and his breath heavy on the radio. He was having a hard time with this. "I think I'm gonna puke," he finally replied, obviously nauseous from the violently trembling of the shuttle. "Please don't," Valentina replied, trying to move away from Judas. It was difficult, of course, since they were strapped down tightly. "We're almost there everyone. Hang on!" Sheila sounded so confident on the radio, that it was almost infectious. Evee couldn't hold in her excitement anymore, despite how hard she tried. She just wanted to rip off the straps and run straight to the door. Gravity seemed to restore a little, but not too much. Still, it was better than everybody floating like they have the past six months. "We're almost there," Rocky said, with a static on the radio. "Touchdown in 5... 4..."

The seconds couldn't be counted any faster.

"2... 1..."

The Serendipity landed with near perfect accuracy on their target, the engines roaring loudly right before they were cut off. She couldn't get the straps off any faster, even if she was the first to take off one of them. "Lemme help you," Alex laughed, helping her with her remaining strap before working on his own. She bolted out of her seat, moving past everyone and practically running to the shuttle door. "Ms. Roberts, be careful!" the professor warned her, but she ignored him. She knew she was going to be just fine, and that this was a chance of a lifetime. She wanted to the be first, the first of these people selected for this mission, to set foot on Mars. She stood there, impatient at the doors, waiting for them to open. It felt like it took ages before they did.

And when they did, she could hardly believe her eyes.

Evee took a breath as the doors of the shuttle opened before her, revealing the red planet's landscape before her very auburn eyes. It was dusty, with visibility near zero. But it was honestly the best view she's ever seen of the planet on it's surface physically. As she climbed down the ladder, she looked towards the ground, imagining her first step. "'That's one small step for man,'" she quoted, leaping down away from the ladder and creating the first ever human footprint on Mars. "'One giant leap for mankind.'" "Neil Armstrong," she heard Alex say on the radio. "The first man to walk the moon. Classic quote for this occasion." "Crazy how far we've come, hasn't it?" she asked, smiling to herself. "This is a momentous occasion," Rocky suddenly said on the radio, which statics a bit from the gravelly sound of his voice. Alex and Judas were the next ones off the shuttle, both moving on towards the hatch on the other side to get the crate of supplies. It seemed Judas was still trying to recover from the landing, as he stumbled a bit while walking. Valentina and Nikolai were next afterwards to get off, and then Professor Stevenson, Sheila, and Rocky. Everyone had a job to do, even Evee, but she was too focused on her footprint to even take notice. Alex decided to take over her duties for the moment, until she was ready. Everyone knew she was there for her father, gathering memories for him. Something he wasn't able to do himself.

Rocky, being a retired military vet, decided to take the lead. "I'll scout ahead," he said. His mic statics once more when he spoke, the signal getting slightly weaker because of the distance he's put between him and their shuttle. "Remember to stay close to the shuttle for a good signal with the radios. At least until we get those antennas up and running." "I'll take care of those," Sheila responded, getting to work on opening a crate that had the antennas inside. Nikolai helped her get them set up, following behind with a cable and attaching them to each little antenna Sheila placed down. Judas was able to carry one of the crates that they had on his own, his condition getting better by the minute. Still, he rather get the building set up as soon as possible, as he did not like wearing this suit for very long. Luckily for him, it seemed Sheila has found a suitable place to set up the building. It'll take some time, so they might have to sleep in the Serendipity, but at least they will have a building eventually, with a roof.

Evee was looking at her footprint, the first human footprint on Mars. It seemed surreal to look at it, but it was definitely not a work of fiction. She took her camera out of one of her external pockets on her spacesuit, and knelt down to take a photo of the footprint. Her footprint. "This is for you, Dad." "Evee!" Alex's voice on the radio caught her off guard as she stood up, turning to face him as he approached. The others were already heading off towards Rocky's location, almost leaving her behind. "You okay?" Alex asked her, concerned that she was starting to get seconds thoughts about this trip now. She smiled. He truly was like a big brother figure, always protective of her and concerned. She looked at the rock formations off in the distance as she sighed. "Yeah. I'm fine," she finally replied, breathless. "It's just this place is... so amazing." He smiled back at her, gazing at the formations as well. "I agree. It's almost hauntingly beautiful." They stared at the structures for some time before a static on their radio startled them. "You two doing alright?" It was their professor, Stevenson. He sounded a little winded from having to walk after practically six months floating around. "We need to get moving. Captain Hunk said that there is a suitable area up ahead for setting up our base camp." Alex gazed over at Evee with a smile, offering a hand to her. "Let's go make history," he said softly. She took one last look at her disappearing footprint in the sand, an overwhelming sensation flowing through her.

"Yeah." She takes his hand. "Let's go make history."

* * *

Setting up a base was difficult, as the filtration system was nearly impossible to put together. Valentina was the one who complained the most about having fresh air, despite her being the one who was suppose to be in charge of putting it together. As the days rolled on, they continued to get further from the Serendipity, but not too far from their first base they've built. But it seemed that, despite how close they landed to the supposed spot where the water was, the crew had yet to find it. After about a month, tensions were rising, especially between Stevenson and the captain. Evee and Alex had finished returning to home base after setting up even more antennas, only to walk out of the pressure chamber to see what looked like a soda can flying across the room. "Dammit, Hunk, just admit it! This mission is completely bogus! NASA lied to us!" "You're wrong, Stevenson," Sheila replied, as calmly as possible. "This mission had been in the works for years. NASA wouldn't just lie to us." "Bullshit!" Stevenson threw another empty can of soda across the room, nearly hitting Alex in the head. "Hey whoa, Prof! Chill." The angry professor turned to see Alex and Evee, not realizing they were there. "Shit. What are you two doing back?" "We finished setting the antennas," Evee answered slowly, not wanting to incur his wrath. "We got done a little early since we emptied the crate." "Well, there goes the third one," Sheila replied, going over to a large binder on a desk nearby. They had been emptying crates left and right, and didn't seem to be getting closer to where they needed to be. Stevenson sighed angrily, shaking his head. "We are starting to get low on supplies, Hunk," he said. "Admit it. There is no water here on Mars. We came here for nothing!" "No we didn't," Rocky suddenly said, exiting the next room. He was holding a coffee cup with NASA's logo in his hand, which was steaming from the black liquid that was inside. He was wearing a grey, NASA tank top with black pants as he approached, a hand in his pocket. It looked as if he had just taken a shower, as his hair was wet. "There is proof of water here. We have seen live feed from one of the rovers before it went dark." He took a sip of his coffee before setting it on the table. "We have a clear location on where it is. It's just... we're on foot. It will take a while without a ground vehicle to get us there." "And how long will that take?" Stevenson snapped. "At this rate, we'll be out of food and water before we know it! We'll starve out here!"

Just hearing those words made Evee's stomach twist and sink. She didn't realize they were that close to diminishing supplies. They had yet to learn how to plant crops with the soil on Mars, let alone get it to grow anything. They had packaged soil from Earth, which Valentina was working with, but would that be enough? It's a good thing Valentina found the green house crate, which is where she probably was right now, working on the plants as best as she could. Still, if she still has yet to grow anything... "I'm sure our supplies are not that bad," Sheila reassured, setting the binder down. "Once Judas gets back from counting the supplies we do have, I'm sure he will reassure you that everything's fine." The door to the airlock opened again, with Judas and Nikolai both entering with worried expressions. Evee turned to them both, noticing that look of despair in their eyes. "Don't tell me..." She bit her lip, her knuckles pressing against it. Nikolai sighed as he gave her the clipboard, not saying a single word. "We are running low on supplies. Namely water," Judas answered, matter-of-factly. He had confirmed their greatest fear. "Great. Just great." Stevenson turned to Sheila, jabbing his finger in her direction. "You said we would be fine. Does dying of dehydration sound _fine_ to you!?" Rocky swiftly moved defensively in front of the captain, standing an obvious foot taller than the professor. He gave him an intimidating stare, but it seemed the professor wasn't startled by this. "Are you trying to scare me, _white boy_?" he snapped quietly, staring up at Rocky. Although the name did startle almost everyone, as no one knew the professor was that kind of man. "Stay away from Sheila," Rocky warned calmly. "I am sure this is a problem that NASA foresaw beforehand. We just need to look at the procedures..." "Fuck you and your procedures, Sam!" "Professor Stevenson!" Sheila snapped at last, taking the binder and slamming it down on the table, causing her coffee cup to nearly fall over. "NASA has crossed all their Ts and dotted all their Is before this mission went green. They had planned ahead. They have!" Nikolai didn't seem to like the arguing that was going on between the older adults in the room, causing him to simply depart with an almost angered look in his eyes. Evee had heard that his parents once argued like tha, when he was little, and it was bad. Broken plates and shattered windows type of bad. Nikolai nearly ran away from home for good once, but ended up at his grandfather's place and stayed there for a few days. His parents never knew until they finally came over and found him. They vowed to never get into arguments that pointless again, and so they did. But here, Nikolai didn't have the comfort of his grandfather's home to go to. Evee felt awful for him, to hear arguments from others getting out of control. If only there was something she could do...

And then, it hit her.

She remembered looking at the binder one night for Rocky, looking for the log to write something down. But while flipping through in search of it, she came across something; a single page with a cryptic message: "Activate Protocol 32-B." There was more to the page, but that was all she could recall. Maybe it was something they had to activate when they were low on supplies? "Um... guys?" She tried to catch their attention, but they were still arguing profusely. "Hey!" she called again, but still they ignored her. "Evee, what's up?" Alex and Judas both seemed concerned for what Evee was trying to do, not exactly understanding why she was trying to butt in on this mess. "Alex, I need to talk to them. I need them to listen!" Judas looked at the man Evee called her big brother figure and simply watched as he nodded his head. Alex wet his lips and put his fingers in his mouth, and with a quick breath, whistled loud enough to catch everyone's attention. Stevenson snapped his head to look at them, his eyes sharp enough that he could kill a man with them. "What is it, Mr. Montgomery?!" "Evee has something to say. It's important." Sheila came up behind Rocky, keeping as much distance between her and the professor as possible. "Yes, sweetie? What is it?" "I, uh..." Evee swallowed the dry lump in her throat, hoping that this simple memory will solve their problem. "I... think that there _is_ something that can fix this. It's in the binder. Protocol 32-B?" Rocky and Sheila both seemed confused for a moment, but their eyes lit up upon the realization of this. "That's it! Remember what Mission Control said before we left, Rocky?" "Protocol 32-B," he replied, grabbing the binder and flipping quickly through the pages. "They said that only activate it in case of an emergency. This is definitely an emergency!" "What's Protocol 32-B?" Stevenson asked, but was ignored. "Evee, hon. What was the page number? Do you remember?" Rocky asked, looking at her. She thought about it, trying to remember. She knew it was well past the supply list for the crates, which was at least in the 200 pages, but before the log she wrote in, which was exactly on Page 404. "I know it's at least past Page 299 but before Page 400... try Page 348 and backwards?" Rocky went straight to the page number and worked on backwards as told, flipping through slowly and reading each page. "What is Protocol 32-B?" Stevenson asked again, getting annoyed by the lack of an answer. "I can't seem to find it," Rocky replied, flipping a little more quickly. "Try to remember, Evee," Sheila said calmly. "Try to remember the page number." Evee did think about it again, trying her hardest to remember. It was slowly coming back to her. "Try... Page 383 and go backwards again." Rocky flipped forward to that page, and after looking a few pages back, he found it. "Here it is!" He practically sounded as excited as a child who opened his presents on Christmas morning. Sheila looked over his shoulder to read the binder as well, a smile crossing her lips. "Protocol 32-B is located on the Serendipity, huh? I remember loading it up the day we left. Everyone stay here!" She dashed past everyone and went to go suit up, beaming with confidence once again. It caused Rocky to look over his shoulder at her, and cock a smile. This was obviously the thing he loved about her, when she was so confident and took charge. It was attractive to him. Yet another reason why and how he fell in love with her.

"What _is_ Protocol 32-B?!"

Stevenson's voice was on the verge of cracking after how many times he had shouted today. Rocky sighed as he looked back at the binder, the moment ruined thanks to the professor. "We don't know all the details. However, once Sheila returns with Protocol 32-B, we can proceed." Evee slumped down in the chair nearby, a heavy sigh released from her chest. She prayed that this truly was the answer. Sheila and Rocky both seemed confident, which made her hopeful. "I think I'll go help her look," Alex said suddenly, following after Sheila. "The sooner we find this thing, the sooner we can activate this protocol, right? I'll be right back." As he disappeared behind the pressure room to get suited up, Judas came over to Evee's side, leaning against the table. "That was a hell of a thing to remember, huh?" She looked up at him, confused. He rubbed his neck nervously, looking away. "It's like a Deus ex Machina. You know, where a seemingly unsolvable or desperate situation was solved by a simple solution. Except, it's mostly thanks to a complete stranger or bystander than the protag." These words were confusing. "Pro... tag?" Judas chuckled a little. "It's short for protagonist." Evee nodded. She forgot he was a film major. "So... I'm the protagonist in your script you keep writing?" she asked, teasingly. Judas scoffed and tried to dismiss her claim, waving his hand at her. "Pssh! C'mon, Evee! My script is still crappy. Hell, my protag doesn't even have a name yet! Beside, it could be a boy for all you know." She gave him a smug look, leaning back in her chair. "Yeah right. I read your script..." It was obvious that he was about to sweat bullets, but instead, tried to play it cool. "That... was for something else. Which sucked, by the way! I threw it out." "Oh." She was mildly disappointed. "I actually kinda liked that script, though. How the girl saves the guy, for once. There aren't enough female leads saving the male characters, you know?" He noticed that what he said really did strike a chord with her, and he felt bad. Now he wished he didn't throw that script away. Maybe he should revise his new script..? "Well... anyway," she began, stretching. "So I pulled a... what did you call it? A 'deus ex machina'?" "Yeah. It's Latin," Judas replied, but he didn't elaborate what it meant. She didn't need him to, however. She was lucky enough to know Latin. "It's just... it's a hell of a thing to remember something like that during a situation like this. It's almost unbelievable." She chuckled nervously before shrugging. "Eh. I try."

Rocky turned to Evee and Judas a moment, still reading over the protocol's guidelines. "When Sheila and Alex return with the protocol, we'll need Valentina. I think she's in the green house room. Could you go get her?" Evee nodded and was about to stand up before Judas stopped her. "Nah. You stay. I'll go get Tina." As he wondered off and disappeared behind a door, Stevenson snorted, crossing his arms. It was obvious that he wasn't happy with how everything was turning out, although he was calm again. It has been an insane month on Mars. Most of their clothes were either stained with sweat, or red dust from Mars' surface. It was nothing like Earth, that was for sure. "They better get here, quick," Stevenson said impatiently. "I want to know what the hell this protocol is. Why wasn't it mentioned to us?!" "It was for the superiors to know, the ones in command. Me and Sheila," Rocky replied, flipping the page over to read the back before flipping back again. "We don't know exactly what it's for. Just something for emergencies only. Food and water are our main concerns, so it must be about that. It has to..." "It better be," the professor snarled, before pulling out a crumpled box of cigarettes out of his coat pocket. A lighter was stuffed inside the box, with only three or four smokes left before it was finally empty. He lit one and took a puff, slowly exhaling the horrible stench and letting it fill the air. "You've gotta stop smoking that crap," Rocky replied quietly, waving the smoke away. "It'll kill you one of these days." "Better to die of lung cancer than to die of dehydration," he snapped back, taking another puff and blowing towards the co-pilot's direction deliberately. "It sucks to die, either way, Stevenson. Don't be an asshole." The professor laughed at Rocky, thinking his reply as nothing but empty words. "I'm old and tired, Sam... I don't really give a shit." Rocky snorted, waving the smoke away from himself. "Same here, Bradley. But I do give a shit." Evee curled up in her chair as she sat quietly, listening to the older men talk back and forth. It reminded him of her father and uncle when they talked about her father's cancer. Crazy how he survived all these years, but she was glad he did. She prayed that her father will survive these next two years without her. She wanted to show him so many things that she's found on this planet. She was determined to fill this camera with everything she could, even of the people that were with her. He wanted to be a part of it.

After some time, Sheila and Alex had returned from the shuttle, carrying a small yellow box with a bold black label that read, "32-B." Evee practically jumped out of her seat as she saw it, her eyes lighting up with excitement. She ran towards the room in the back where Nikolai was, finding him sitting on the bed and reading a technician handbook. "Nikolai! Hey Niko!" She shook him gently, startling him. He had his headphones in, which made it difficult to hear her the first time. "What's going on, _podruga_?" "There is a solution to our water problem," Evee answered excitedly. "Everyone needs to be in the main room to hear it. C'mon!" She began to make her way back as Nikolai turned off his music player, leaving it behind and following her. "You're serious? _Ty dolzhen menya izdevat'sya_..." They returned to see Judas had gotten Valentina out of the green house long enough to see what the small lockbox contained, which seemed to have Stevenson on edge. Rocky stood by Sheila, his arms folded behind his back as she took charge. "Alright, people. Roll call! Montgomery. Stevenson... Roberts. Tillman. Lebedev. Gulliver." Everyone was present and accounted for, which put Sheila to ease. She looked at the small, yellow lockbox on the table, looking at the black bold letters that adorned it with a soft sigh. "I do not know what's in this box," she admitted before looking back up at them. She leaned on the table a bit. "However, if my gut is right, this will fix our problem. For those who do not know..." She looked at Valentina, who seemed oblivious to what was going on. "...we have a situation. We are running low on water. It's a dire situation, to be sure. However, I have a feeling that whatever is in this small box, it will help us fix that problem." She turned the box around to see the small keypad on the front, and peered over at the binder to read the code input on the page. After inserting the code, the box popped ajar. Rocky hissed in a short breath as he braced himself for what was in store for them, as everyone else held their breath. Sheila slowly opened the lockbox, delicately as if she was defusing a bomb. But to everyone's surprise, there was nothing more than flash drive that sat snug inside a padded case.

Stevenson snorted angrily, already in disbelief of what was discovered. "That's it? A fucking flash drive?" Evee swallowed hard, her knuckles pressing against her lips again. "No. That can't be it," Alex whispered. "There has to be more to it, right?" "What's on it?" Judas asked, gesturing with his head. "Maybe there is, like, a map or something on it?" Valentina suggested. "A map to what, though? To the water we're looking for?" Judas shook his head, crossing his arms as he replied to her. "Sheila," Rocky spoke in a soft, but gravelly voice. "Want me to get the computer booted up?" "Yes, please do, Sam." Evee noticed how Rocky's face winced from hearing his first name. Normally, everyone would call him "Rocky" and nothing else. Something told her that the captain only called him that because she was worried, or scared. She had every right to be. What if this didn't pan out? What if it was for nothing? Rocky left to boot up the computer in the corner, which almost felt like it took an eternity before it finally turned on. He input his personnel login for NASA and the machine hummed to life, welcoming him with a computerized feminine voice. "Well that's new," he said, jokingly. Sheila took the flash drive out and inserted it into the computer's hard drive, opening the files and projecting it on the large screen that the computer was attached to. It only contained one video file, and an encrypted file. "Why is that file encrypted?" Alex asked, pointing at it. "Maybe there's a decryption code in the video file?" Nikolai pondered, rubbing the stub on his chin. Sheila took a breath before activating the video file and standing back, everyone's eyes glued to the overscreen as the file began to play.

An image of a man appeared, and immediately, Evee recognized him. It was the Director in charge of this entire mission, the one who - along with two others - specially selected her and the others to be a part of this. "Hunk. Rockwell. If you two are watching this, that means that the situation is dire," the Director said on the recording. "I'm sure that the major concern must be either water or food... or both. And if it is, that can only mean one thing: during your six-month flight, you broke open the food crate reserved for Mars." Everyone looked over at Judas, who felt guilty for being the one who suggested opening the second food crate at least four months into their journey. But no one knew it was suppose to be reserved, not even Rocky and Sheila. "It makes sense, however. We did have two extra mouths to feed at the last minute, and didn't get the chance to fix the problem before the flight." Two extra mouths? Evee knew Alex and Valentina had to be the unexpected newcomers, especially since she suggested Alex join them. Valentina was probably added to balance the team, but... "However, what's done is done. You are all on Mars now, accomplishing what no man has ever done before." He shifted a little off-screen, and revealed that he was reaching for his coffee cup. "Now I know what you're thinking: what is Protocol 32-B? What does it do? Why was this flash drive the only thing the lockbox contain? I can answer these questions. Simply put, NASA had been planning this day for years. Even back in the 70s and 80s, when there wasn't a means to get there, to Mars." The Director took another sip of his coffee, taking a moment to himself as he leaned back in his squeaky chair. "Even back then, however, everyone had planned for this mission... especially my great-grandfather. He worked here, just as my father and my grandfather before me. And all of us have said the same thing: humans will be able to go to Mars one day. And we believed that. So, even back then, plans were set in motion." He took a sip of his coffee before setting it down, his chair squeaking as he leaned forward. "There are airtight crates that were sent there from long ago, with food that won't spoil. However, we discovered that it took two years for Mars to reach it's closest point towards Earth, and since then, decided to send at least one crate of food and water to Mars every two years. As well as any other necessities that are needed, of course: toiletries, feminine products, and so on. You may call these caches, if you will." He leaned forward in his chair, staring directly into the camera, his small eyes and round cheeks being prominent features on his face. "Now that you've watched this video file, a decryption code will have sent to the other file on this flash drive, which will activate a map that will show you the pinged locations of the caches in your area. Retrieve them, and I can promise you, your next two years on Mars will be just fine. Just remember: you are doing Humanity a great service. You are accomplishing a dream that has been in the making for years. You are the best and the brightest chosen few on our little planet. Make us proud." The Director gave a simple smile, and with that, the screen shut down and the feed went dark. The computer console made a loud blip sound, and the once encrypted file became decrypted.

Sheila took a breath before returning to the computer, and opening the file. The over screen lit up again to show the file, which was - indeed - a map with live radar as to the locations of the caches that were nearby. And, to their surprise, there were at least two of them close. "Holy shit," Judas gasped, his aqua-green eyes darting to each of the pinpoints on the map. "We're saved." Sheila smiled as she looked back to everyone, confidence in her eyes and in her mind. She gave a quick gaze over to Rocky, who simply flashed his charming smile at her. Evee could tell that a plan was forming, and that she was knew this meant one thing: they were going back outside, all of them, and they were going to find these caches that were close to their base. And bring them home.

* * *

"Are you suited up already?"

Judas was just coming to check on Evee when he saw her finishing up her suit, the helmet not yet placed on. "I know Sheila gave us an hour, but... I'm ready now, Judas!" He could hear the excitement in her voice, smirking a little to himself. He took his suit suddenly and began to put it on as well. "What are you doing..?" "Getting ready, too," he answered, grinning at her. "Why? Am I not allowed to?" Evee looked away suddenly, sitting down on the bench in the pressure chamber. "N-No. I just... sorry." Oh great, now he felt bad for joking with her like that. "It's fine, Evee. I was just teasing!" He strapped and zipped up parts of his suit before actually thinking about it. His suit was just as bulky as hers, being almost too big for their bodies. It reminded him of a fat Santa suit. He turned to her suddenly and threw his head back, patting his stomach and jiggling it with a loud, "Ho ho ho." Evee chuckled, looking at him with such confusion. "What the hell..? What are you doing?" "Santa Claus. C'mon, I practically feel like the jolly ol' bastard!" She couldn't help but laugh, which made Judas feel a whole lot better than before. "Except it's all white, not red." He looked out the window when she stated that, causing him to shrug. "Maybe Mars' dust can turn it red. Then I can really be Santa Claus!" He chuckled as he sat down on the bench opposite of hers, fixing up a part on his suit as they sat in silence for a moment.

"So," Evee finally broke the silence. "You like Christmas or something?" He looked up at her, a tad confused. "What do you mean, do I like Christmas? Of course I do. Doesn't everybody?" "Well... maybe not the Scrooges, but you know," she replied, shrugging. "But really, Judas. I sometimes hear you humming Christmas tunes to yourself. I was just curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna." He let out a heavy sigh through his nostrils, biting the inside of his cheek. "Hmm. I suppose it's okay to tell you. You don't seem like the type who would laugh at me." Evee scooted to the edge of her seat, looking at him with interest as she sat patient and quiet to listen to him. "The truth is... I absolutely love, love, _love_ Christmas. It's seriously my favorite time of year. It annoys the hell out of my parents, but I always go overboard, y'know?" He began to tell her a story about what happened one year during Christmas, how he had spent so much money on presents that he actually did forget the decorations. He felt bummed about it, despite how glad everyone in his family was for him going minimal that year. But he loved Christmas. "It's the only time of the year when I am actually happy," he explained, looking at his reflection on his helmet. "I mean, it's the only time I can be myself and not worry about what others think of me. I know that... probably sounds stupid." Evee shook her head, tilting her head a little. "No Judas. It's not stupid." He looked up at her with his eyes, a little surprised by that. "It's like all of this with me. I love being here, despite how dangerous it is. And, in a way, it's for my dad, too. He never got the chance to go to the moon like he wanted, so... I took the chance to go beyond it, and to Mars. He was practically in tears because of it." She pulled the velcro from one of the external pockets and pulled out her camera, looking it over. "I will take as many memories on this camera as I can, for Dad. I know he would love it."

They sat there for a moment more in silence, with Evee looking at her camera and Judas looking at her. He grinned a little at the thought of him being one of her memories. They were going to be here for the next two years, at least, so maybe they could grow closer. This was already a step in the right direction, he would think. She looked up at him with a soft smile, bringing her camera up to snap an unexpected photo of Judas. "Smile!" A tiny bleep sound came from the camera before she looked at it, chuckling. "You look so confused," she laughed, showing him the picture of himself. Judas blinked to himself to return to his senses, and saw his dumbfound expression on the photo. He grumbled a little before slightly smiling to himself. It was a pretty dumb picture, but he was happy that she took one of him. He always wanted her to take a picture of him. The doors hissed open and Valentina waltzed in, surprisingly dressed in the proper jumpsuit for her astronaut outfit. She seemed surprised that Evee and Judas were already in here, but couldn't say anything about it as Alex stumbled through. "Oh hey you guys," he replied, passing around Valentina. His hair seemed to have been trimmed back down on the sides, although the ponytail seemed a tad longer now. "I see you two are already set. Excited to get back out there, Judas?" The man scoffed in annoyance before leaning back, waving a hand at Alex. "Hell no! If I had a choice, I'd stay indoors as much as I could. But we really need that water..." Alex murmured in response, pulling up his suit. Valentina seemed distracted as she peered over her shoulder at Judas, as if she wanted to say something, but decided against it. She would probably speak up eventually, like she always did. "Do you think we'll even find it? The cache," Judas asked, looking at Evee for the answer. "If we do, then I hope they have beer stashed inside." Nikolai's voice came from the door as he came inside, giving his opinion on the topic. "Or at least a banquet fit for a king! We deserve it after all we've been though." "I doubt they'll have food that lasted _that_ long," Judas replied. Nikolai shrugged as he decided to get suited up as well. "So like, if you're not excited to get back out there, then why are you all ready to get going?" Valentina finally spoke again as she finally put on her suit, sealing a strap on her arms. Of course, they knew she was addressing Judas, who only groaned in annoyance again. "Because I don't want to be the last one to get ready like last time, when we all went out as a group," he replied. "Besides, the soon we find this cache, the sooner Stevenson can get off our backs. That guy's been on a rampage since yesterday when we took inventory. That's why Sheila told us to do it again today." Evee had wondered about why they rechecked the stocks. She didn't think it was because of the professor. Then again, she was outside at the time, taking pictures of the landscape as she always does. She thought about what was waiting for them out there, when they go and get the cache. She began to worry about finding it as well. She knew everyone was having doubts about it.

No.

She can't afford to doubt herself now.

"We will find it," Evee answered at last. "There are dozens of caches out there, some of them bundled together. If we're lucky, we might find more than one." Alex grinned in response, sitting down beside her. "Y'know what? I think we will, too." She smiled as he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her in for a small hug. That's what everyone needed right now: hope. Once the other three were ready to go, they would leave this breathable habitat in search of the food caches. She was hopeful. She had to be. There has been too much fear and doubt bestowed upon the group. Some good news would be great for their moral.

* * *

"Visibility is getting clearer. Rocky, give me a direction."

Sheila was taking charge as she led the group through an uncharted area of Mars, the group carefully following behind in a line. Rocky looked at the tracker in his hands, the slow, droning bleeps seemingly getting weaker as they trekked on. "Signal's not good in this direction," he replied, gazing a moment at a new path and gestured with the tracker. The beeping spiked up as he aimed towards it, which seemed to make everyone hold their breath. "Let's head north a ways. It looks promising." As they continued forth, Stevenson stopped to sit on a nearby rock, his breath raspy on the radio as he spoke. "Are we anywhere near where we need to be? We've been out here for almost two hours!" Everyone ignored the professor at the time, and instead, focusing on looking for anything that looked like crates. "Soon," Sheila responded for what seemed like the tenth time. It was clear that she was becoming annoyed by the elderly man's questionings. Evee took another picture of the group behind her, waving at Alex as he waved back. She had to keep her spirits up while they were out here, had to stay hopeful. It was becoming difficult in such an empty landscape. How much longer would they be out here before they found something? What if they didn't find anything at all?

But soon, the beeping began to grow in strength. She dashed over to Rocky and looked over his large shoulders, trying to see the tracker in his hands. "Is it really..?!" she asked, optimistic. He glanced over at her with a charming smile on his dashing features, a deep chuckle emitting from the radio. "You bet, kiddo! It looks like we're finally getting somewhere." Sheila came over to look at the tracker herself, breaking out in a large smile herself. "Hear that, Stevenson? We're close!" Judas and Alex came rushing up the hill where Evee was, wanting to look at the tracker as well. "Give an old man some space," Rocky joked as pulled the tracker away. "There's plenty of me to go around, y'know." Stevenson got up with a groan before trying to straighten out his back. Rocky continued forward towards their new direction, the beeping becoming stronger and stronger. Everyone held their breath as they followed behind, eager to see if they were to be led to one of the caches. The group was extremely nervous about what was up ahead, and prayed that what they were looking for was there. It had to be. "We're getting close," Rocky said again, his eyes gleaming with joy. The beeping grew louder and faster with each step they took, their hearts beating just as fast to the rhythm of the tracker. "Just over this hill now... I know we're close." "It has to be there," Evee whispered to herself. "It just has to be."

Nikolai was able to push forward past everyone and reach the top of the hill, being the only one who was good at scouting ahead of the group. As he got there, standing above what felt like the world, peering over the edge, a shout was heard over the radio, followed by him saying something in Russian. "Everyone! Get up here! The caches are here! Loads of 'em!" Loads? There were more than one? Evee began to climb up the hill as fast as she could, wanting to see the caches for herself. Her suit felt heavy as she traversed up the steep hill, body trying to push forward and reach the top. She had to see it, all these caches that Nikolai sees. As she reached the top, her breath became caught in her throat, her heart pounding a mile a minute as she saw the landscape before her.

Crates, both old and new, were littered all over the place, as if they were gathered there by some unknown force. Evee coughed out a laugh before the rest of the group made it up the hill, the tracker beeping even more rapidly as they reached the top as well. "Oh my God," was all that came from Sheila's mouth before Nikolai gripped Alex's arm with another excited shout. "We found it! We're saved!" He began to stumble down the hill, nearly tripping over the small rocks as he approached one of the crates. Alex and Stevenson followed behind before Sheila and Rocky, the tracker in the co-pilot's hands beeping ever so rapidly before he turned it off. Judas stood beside Evee a moment, with Valentina standing beside him. "Damn. That is a shit ton of crates," he murmured on the radio, which crackled a little from the whisper, making it difficult to hear him. "How did they get here like this? Did... something move them?" "The storms, maybe," Evee replied. "There are pretty powerful storms on the surface. Maybe strong enough to lift these crates." "That makes sense," Valentina replied. "Explains the patterns of the storms, and even their velocities. They are a bit more frequent on the other side of this hill, but here... it might be a dead zone. The crates aren't like, even covered up with dust and dirt. You can still see them." Now it made sense why Valentina was chosen. She practically sounded like a meteorologist. "I think the storms must've dropped the crates here over time. Perhaps not even all of them, but... most of them." "Now we just gotta figure out how to get these back to home base," Judas pointed out, a hand on his hip. "We might need to get a dolly or something to help us even lift these things." Evee gently tapped his arm before giving him a smile. "C'mon. Let's go see what's down there for us. There must be some sort of manifest on each of the caches."

As she began to make her way down there, Judas and Valentina slowly began to follow behind, the sound of Nikolai's excited cheers emitting loudly on the radio ahead. "Mr. Lebedev! Calm yourself!" the professor warned, but Nikolai ignored him. "This is amazing! Look at all of these! They are all full of food!" "Well _some_ of them are, Niko. Half of these are missing their manifests," Rocky responded, looking at a shredded piece of paper that was stuck on one of the caches. "Either way, we at least got food and water again," Alex replied, looking at another crate. "Hey, this one has some sunlamps in here. Probably for the greenhouse we've got going." "That's good. We're going to need that," Sheila replied, approaching Rocky. "This is one hell of a find. I didn't expect we'd find so many at once." "Better than finding none," the co-pilot answered, flashing a grin at her. She seemed to laugh at this, looking over her shoulder to see the rest of their group arrive. "Ah! Evee. And Judas and Valentina. You decided to join us." "We were just... taking it all in," Judas said quickly, looking at Evee. "Well, you better help us organize these instead of watching. We've got a lot to do, and we don't have that much daylight left." "Yeah. It's like, super creepy out here at night," Valentina replied, shivering unexpectedly at the thought of being outside after dark. It's not the same as it is on Earth, where streetlamps and city lights lit up the darkness. And the silence, save for an occasional wind howl, was especially eerie when they laid in bed after lights out. "Judas, why don't you help Stevenson with that crate over there. Valentina, you can help Nikolai. And Evee, you can give Alex a hand. Looks like he needs it." "Sure thing, Captain," Evee replied with a gentle static over the radio. They dispersed to go straight to work in their designated areas, working on the task at hand.

Alex was flipping a crate over when he noticed Evee approaching him. He waved at her and shoved the crate back, flipping it successfully. "These things weigh a ton," he exaggerated with a huff. "I'm lucky to even lift them up to flip 'em." "Here. Lemme help," Evee responded and gripped on the side of the crate. "Nah. I'll do the heavy lifting, Little Red. How about you check to see if these ones have manifests on them." "You sure?" she asked, worried she was giving him the difficult task. "I can still help lift them, if you want." Alex chuckled at her over the radio, gently pushing her away. "Seriously, Evee. I got this. You can still help me in other ways, y'know." She sighed as she moved back, practically defeated by her childhood friend. "Whatever you say, Bigby. Just don't strain yourself." It felt like forever since they both called each other by their nicknames, as they had always done growing up. Of course, Alex's nickname use to be Big Bad, but was later changed to Bigby after he picked up his first _Fables_ comic book. He couldn't put an issue down after that day, and continued to go hunting for the next issue that was at the stores. Eventually, he began to read them to Evee when they took the bus to school, and she began to read them, although not as faithfully as Alex did. She approached a crate and looked it over for a manifest, reading what she could on it out loud. "This one looks to have nothing but water in it." "Great find, Evee! I'll move it over here in this pile then." She moved about a foot away from him when she nearly tripped over something, and a metal thud sound emitted from under her foot when she caught herself. It startled her at first, as she thought it was simply a sound she imagined. She stomped her foot again, and the metallic sound came once more.

"What..?"

Evee carefully bent down and wiped the dust and dirt away, revealing a metallic-like panel that seemed both ancient and unknown to her. There was no way scientists would've seen this through their telescopes or rovers. "Hey Evee." The voice of Judas came from behind her as he approached. "Rocky told me to come check up on you guys, so I-" He stopped dead in his tracks as saw the metal-like panel she discovered, his blood running cold with what could only be described as fear. "W-What the hell is that?" he asked, keeping his distance. "I don't know," she replied, her voice obviously fascinated by this discovery. "But whatever it is, we need to know what it does." "What?!" Judas' voice on the radio caught everyone's attention. "What's going on, Mr. Tillman?" Stevenson asked loudly on the radio. "Evee found something. I... I dunno what the hell it is, but-" Sheila immediately stopped what she was doing and came over to look at what Evee discovered, the rest seemingly following suit as the captain made her move. "Evee? What is it? What did you find?" She moved away enough for the group to see the metal panel, causing a couple of them to gasp and move away from her. "Is that like, some sort of alien technology or something?" "Seriously, Tina?" Judas asked angrily. "There's no such thing as aliens. That's only in the movies." "Well _excuse me_ for asking, Mr. Know-It-All!" "Quiet you two!" Alex shouted. "This is not the time to be arguing over stupid shit! We need to figure out what this thing is." "And what it does. If it does anything," Evee responded, looking back down at the metal panel. "I wonder what would happen if-" "Evee, don't." The sound of Sheila's voice was firm as she stopped her from touching the oddity again. "We don't know what it is, or what it is capable of. If we go around messing with things we know nothing about, then we're asking for trouble." "But Sheila... what if it _isn't_ trouble? What if it's nothing at all?" Alex could tell Evee was determined to learn what this strange device was, if it was a device. He couldn't help but be curious as well. "Maybe it could lead us to the water," Nikolai suggested, shrugging. "Maybe it is a secret elevator, that goes down into an aqueduct here on Mars?" "Mars doesn't even _have_ an aqueduct, stupid," Valentina whined, crossing her arms. "It was a suggestion, _suka_." "What does that mean?" The Russian American student chuckled to himself before looking at her, giving her a mischevious grin. "Wouldn't you like to know..."

"Enough!" Alex shouted again, standing beside Evee. "Look, there is no need for tensions to get this bad. Besides, Evee's got a point." He bent down to the metal panel and brushed the dirt and dust away, revealing more of it's surface to them. "I say we try and figure out what it does. The sooner we learn what it does, the sooner we can get it out of our minds. What happens if it suddenly activates in the next two years and, I dunno, vaporize us or something?" "That won't happen," Judas pointed out. "Maybe not, Judas, but still... it's a thought." "Well, either way, this is all up to the captain," Rocky interrupted immediately, getting his point across. The group was silent for what felt like an eternity. He was right. Sheila was the one who made the final decisions in the group, as she was appointed leader back before launch months ago. Evee stood up and came over to her, her eyes expressing how much she wanted to learn about this unknown thing. "Sheila. Please." She was practically begging. "I know that something potentially dangerous could happen. I will face the consequences myself... but I..." She lowered her eyes a moment, deep in thought as she remembered the promise she made to her ill father. She couldn't help but hold the camera close to her chest whenever she thought about him. "Please... Let me do this. I will face the consequences if anything goes wrong. I swear." Sheila sighed heavily in her headset, shaking her head in thought. It was obvious that she was conflicted with this. It wouldn't only be Evee who would have to face the consequences, but also Sheila herself. She was the captain here, the leader. If anything happened to this group, to Rocky... She gazed over at her co-pilot, who only gave her a reassuring nod and a tiny smile. Maybe it won't do anything. Whatever it was, it seemed dormant for a reason. Maybe it won't even turn on, whatever it was. Sheila turned back to Evee again, another sigh escaping her.

"...okay," she replied reluctantly, with a nod. "Best to deal with this problem now instead of later. But how do you plan to even turn it on?" Evee wasn't exactly sure about that herself, although she did have an idea. She crouched by the strange metal panel again, and swiped her hand across it's surface. Nothing. She swiped her hand across it again, removing more dust and dirt than before. Still nothing. She felt along it's surface, and felt ridges and crevices that could either be buttons or a panel that sinks in. Or maybe it pops up? She pressed her finger on one of the smaller cracks and it sunk in, and immediately, the panel lit up. Valentina squeaked on the radio and grabbed Judas' arm, huddling behind him. "Get off of me!" he growled at her. "It only lit up. It's not like it's going to rise out of the ground like some-" The panel began to rise out of the ground as he said that, causing everyone to move back from the unknown machine in fear. Valentina smacked Judas in the arm harshly, griping at him. "You just had to say something, didn't you?! Dummy!" "Quiet!" Alex snapped, glaring at them before looking back at the now raised panel. Evee hesitated a moment before finally moving over towards it again, hovering her hand over it. Nothing happened as it did so either, but it was still worth a shot. "Maybe we shouldn't mess with it," Judas whispered quietly on the radio, as if afraid to anger any ghosts that haunted the strange device. "Relax, Judas. Nothing's happened yet," Nikolai reassured him, even though he was just as nervous about the entire thing. Evee was sweating as she cautiously lowered her hand closer to the lit panel, hovering over an unknown symbol that seemed to glow brighter than any other unknown symbol on there. Maybe it was meant to be pushed?

"Evee?"

The voice of Alex startled her a moment, causing her to give him a weary smile. "I'm good," she answered with a dry chuckle. She couldn't stop sweating from how nervous she was from trying to get this thing to work. After a moment of trying to calm herself down, she hovered over the symbol from before, and hesitated again. Should she push it? No. She's got to stop worrying about this. If she does it and nothing happens, then there is no reason to second guess herself. She took a breath and inched closer to the symbol, which suddenly activated as if she had physically pushed it. A loud droning whine gurgled from beneath their feet, and without warning, a pillar as tall as a building pierced through the ground, sprouting up like a bamboo tree. It created a terrible tremor, causing some of the group to topple over from the unsuspecting quake. The metal structure creaked and groaned as it stood high above everyone's heads, the dust and dirt gently falling down and all around them. It was silent for what felt like an eternity. Everyone was afraid of even holding their breaths. Evee got up off the ground with Alex's help, and stared up at the monstrosity before them. It was of a sheen silver, completely unlike the panel, and wasn't glowing at all. The dust and dirt was caked in each of the little crevices, making it difficult to imagine what the metal structure could've looked like in it's former glory. Still, it wasn't the massive structure that disturbed them. It was the silence. It was as if the wind itself had died away, the planet beginning to sit still, and time coming to a full stop. Stevenson was mesmerized by the oddity before them, moving closer to inspect the strange alien-looking creation. Rocky tried to stop him, but to no avail. Evee herself couldn't help it either, and moved just close enough to lightly touch the surface of the metal pillar. She wiped the dust away to reveal it's sleek, black shine, but other than that, nothing occurred. She turned to Stevenson, and then the group with a chuckle of relief.

"It's alright. We're safe. It doesn't even work."

Everyone seemed relieved, their breaths that they were holding finally released and free. It was going to be fine, they thought. It did nothing. Except, when the thought crossed their minds, an unpredictably loud, ear-piercing whirling sound echoed within everyone's headsets, causing a few of them to grip their helmets. Valentina nearly tore her helmet off just to stop the sounds, but Judas had to place her in a hold. "Don't! You'll choke to death, stupid!" "What the fuckin' hell is that sound?!" Alex shouted, trying to be heard over the whirling shriek. Evee groaned as she gripped her helmet, her first instinct to cover her ears taking over the rest of her logic. The sounds were extremely ear-piercing, to the point one could become deaf if not careful. The tone continued on for quite some time, the pillar that erected from the ground beginning to glow in an ominous greenish-blue light that emitted from the middle of it. The skies began to grow darker as the light shot out of the structure, pulsating through the atmosphere. And then suddenly, the wind began to kick up, a storm brewing right there inside the valley. "A storm? Now?!" Sheila shouted, looking at the darkness above them. "That's impossible! There's no way a storm could just start out of the blue like this!" Valentina screamed, trying to pry herself out of Judas' arms. The storm began to pick up violently as they tried to get the sound out of their headsets, a few of the crates suddenly being lifted up off the ground and flying across the valley. "Holy shit!" Rocky shouted and dashed over to Nikolai, pushing him out of the way of the dangerously flying crates. "What the hell is going on?! What did you do?!" Valentina shrieked at Evee.

"I..! I didn't..!"

Evee's voice could barely be heard above the shrieks that emitted from Valentina's helmet, as she witnessed the girl's body whisking out of Judas' hands and into the air. He would follow suit, along with Professor Stevenson and Alex. "No, Alex!" Evee tried to snatch his hand, but missed by a hair. She felt tears building in her eyes and shrieked as her body began to levitate off the ground, and was carried away along with the rest. She couldn't control her body or what direction she was going, the storm carrying everyone off towards the dark, ominous green sky above. She was terrified. This was her fault. It was all her fault! "Evee!" Alex grabbed her hand quickly as the wind blown him close to her, but the sheer force of the gust continued to tug against them, tearing the two apart from one another. Her screams could be heard from the headset as she suddenly slipped from his hand, being blown away by the unexplained wind force. Sheila unsuspectingly came flying at her, their bodies colliding in a harsh thud, nearly damaging their suits. Everyone couldn't stop screaming. Those blood-curling screams that will now forever haunt Evee's dreams. She looked at the dark sky above, at the cloud that was created by the unknown machine. Was this to be their fate?

Were they to die on Mars?

None of these questions could yet be answered, as debris from the ground smacked the back of her head.

And everything went dark.

* * *

Voices.

She could hear them. They were close. Who was talking so loudly, and yet so muffled? Evee murmured softly as she stirred at last, awakening from her short coma to see Sheila and Rocky above her. "Oh thank God," the captain cried, helping Evee sit up. "We thought we lost you! Are you alright?" She couldn't say a word. Everything that happened before felt like a dream, and yet, it was real. She couldn't look Shelia in the face. She was ashamed of the disaster she had caused. "I'm sorry..." "Oh sweetie, don't be. We're alright. We're alive, at least!" Shelia helped Evee to her feet, helping the girl gather herself. "But... I caused this. Everyone's either hurt or dead because of me." "Don't say that," Rocky warned gently. "If we're alive, so are the others. We'll find them." Wait. Find them? Evee began to observe her surroundings at last, noticing the oddity of the landscape before them. The sky was just as dark and ominous as the rest of the landscape, bolts of lightning occasionally making contact with the earth, with odd floating rock formations that Evee's never seen before. She was speechless beyond belief at the newfound landscape around them. "Where are we?" It was obvious now that they were separated from the rest of the group, stranded in an unknown location on what seemed like an unknown planet. "Is this... Mars?" Sheila asked, looking at the exotic plants. It couldn't be. Mars didn't have plants. And yet, this planet looked sick, dead, the ground littered with debris from the busted caches that came with them through the storm. The air was obviously toxic to them, as their meter indicated on their suits. It was best to keep their suits on, although they would have to find oxygen soon.

"Where do you think the others are?" Evee asked, about to touch an exotic, dead tree. She retracted her hand back before she could, afraid she might cause another unknown disaster. "No idea. I can't get a signal out here." Rocky hit the radar in his hand, but it sparked and went dead. He cursed loudly and threw the machine down, causing it to shatter against a rock. "We'll find them, Rocky. Don't worry," Sheila reassured calmly. "We have our headsets. That's gotta count for something." "If the others are in range," Rocky huffed, "then we will be able to find them using that." Evee wasn't so sure. This was another planet entirely. How could they possibly find the rest of the group in a world they've never explored? Her thoughts went to Alex, worrying over him. He must be out of his mind by now, desperately trying to find her. Maybe if they don't move from this spot, Alex will find her.

A sound nearby took her from her thoughts, causing her to unknowingly seek out the cause of the noise. "Alex?" It sounded like footsteps. It had to be Alex and the others! Evee continued forward; "Alex!" she cried. However, a forceful hand would stop her, dragging her to the ground. "Rocky? What are you-?" "Shh!" Sheila and Rocky kept low as they held Evee close between them, observing the direction the sound was coming from. They waited with baited breath, hoping that it was what they wished it to be.

But it was not to be.

Creatures with strange structural, bodily texture that seemed to resemble bone appeared before them, bearing what looked like firearms from a whole different world in their claws. They shouted something in their native tongue, obviously searching for something.

Possibly for them.

"Sweet Mary and Joseph," Rocky whispered, gently pushing Evee's head down to hide her from the unknown creatures. "What are those things?" Shelia gasped, petrified with fear. He shook his head, not exactly sure what they were either. "Aliens?" Evee replied in a hushed tone, looking over at them. It was the best deduced answer they had to go on. The creatures in front of them had to be aliens, and it was obvious that they were not looking to make friends. Evee could hear them say something in their native language again, knocking over debris in an active search for something. Or some _one_. "What do we do?" Sheila asked in a quiet voice. It was clear that fear was what drove her on, as these aliens were probably searching for them. They must've made a loud ruckus when they appeared on this planet through the device on Mars. "For now, we stay put," he replied just as quietly. "I'm going to test something." Shelia gazed over at him with concern in her brown eyes. What was he going to do? "Sam..." Hearing his first name was something he knew Sheila wouldn't do unless she was truly scared. He hated worrying her like this, especially since what he was going to do was probably the most stupidest thing he could conceive. He gripped her hand in his, bringing it up to his helmet. "I'll be careful, baby girl... I promise." His reassurance was comforting, but Evee knew from the look in Sheila's eyes that she was terrified for him. She was, too. If anything happened to Rocky, to the only man trained to combat any enemies, they would be in trouble.

Rocky began to sneak up on the unknown alien creatures, trying to remain as quiet as possible as one kicked another set of debris away. One seemed to ask the other a question in their native tongue, the other replying in a eerily soft voice. "Hmm... _thokin_." What did that mean? It seemed like it was an order of some sort, although it was hard to tell with this language they spoke. He was close to one of the aliens that seemed to stray from the group, unsuspecting of the human behind them. It seemed to have found one of their busted caches, which unknowingly to them before, contained a pistol. The alien in front of Rocky was called away to look at something, completely oblivious to the firearm that laid at it's feet. Carefully, Rocky moved forward to collect the gun, and stealthily returned to Evee and Shelia. "Where the hell did you get that gun?!" Shelia whispered harshly, trying her hardest to keep quiet. He carefully checked the pistol's ammo, making sure to cock the chamber back as quietly as he could. "It was in one of the caches. I guess it was for in case of an emergency..." "And what emergency would that have been, Sam?" He didn't answer her. It wasn't a hard question at all. All three of them knew exactly what the answer was. Rocky shook his head a little before looking over the boulder they were hiding behind, watching the unknown aliens searching one of their caches. "Okay. Here's the plan..." Sheila and Evee leaned closer to Rocky as he spoke, watching him gesture to the aliens. "We're gonna try to talk to them." "Are you fucking serious, Sam?!" He shushes Shelia, peering at one of the aliens that seemed too close for comfort. "I know it sounds crazy, but listen. I'm going to try to talk to them, first. Get a feel for these things. And if it turns out that they are hostiles, then I'll shoot 'em. I was in the military for a few years, Shelia. I had to use a gun before..." He checked the pistol one last time before he took a breath, noting how Sheila grabbed his arm. "This is suicide!" "It's the only option we've got right now. I rather not attempt to sneak away only for them to shoot us in the back." She opened her mouth to say something, but bit her tongue. It was hard to argue in hushed voices, especially since they were clearly in danger. Evee didn't agree with Rocky's plan either, but he was the one with the experience, and the gun. She had to put some faith in him.

Rocky stood up from behind the boulder, keeping the gun lowered and out of sight as he cleared his throat loudly. One of the mysterious aliens spotted him, immediately aiming their gun and shouting in their foreign language. "Relax. I'm a friendly!" he called back, trying to break the ice. The alien continued to shout, continued to aim at Rocky with the rifle. "Now now, pal. Let's not do something we'll regret. I just want to be your friend. I'm not the bad guy, okay?" More of the aliens appeared by their comrade's side, also aiming their guns and shouting loudly. "Whoa now. Let's not get hasty..." "Sam!" Shelia called in a hushed voice, wishing to drag him back down behind the boulder again. The older man stood his ground, however, not once flinching as he watched the aliens carefully. Another alien shouted, it's claw getting ready to pull the trigger. "You don't wanna do that, pal," Rocky warned, but was obviously ignored. As they all stood there, silent as death, one of the aliens growled to reveal it's teeth, gritting them tightly. It was like some western showdown, both sides waiting for the other to shoot their gun first. He had an inkling that these aliens were smart, that they knew that Rocky had a gun hiding behind his back. A bead of sweat dripped from his temple, his hand gripping the gun tightly.

The alien shouted again, and the rest began to open fire on Rocky. He ducked just in time, barricading himself from the onslaught of alien weaponry that fired at him. The girls shrieked in fear, lowering their heads all the way to the ground to avoid getting hit. "Keep your heads down!" Rocky commanded, peeking out to aim his gun. He popped off a couple shots, successfully hitting one of the aliens. It did not kill it, however, and continued to fire. "Ah shit!" He ducked behind the boulder again as the next wave of bullets seemed to whiz over their heads. This was the first time Evee was ever in a firefight, and it showed. Her body trembled in fear, her voice cracking from her screams after every shot from a gun was fired. She was crying tears as the fight ensued, her mind reeling from all the possible outcomes of this battle. She didn't want to die here, on an unknown alien planet by the hands of aliens. She was immediately wishing she was home, watching the stars with her father with his telescope, only dreaming of going to other planets in rocket ships. This was not what she signed up for. This was not what any of them signed up for.

"Sam, watch out!" Shelia's voice caught Evee off-guard, and she peeked up to see Rocky continuing to pop off a shot from his pistol every so often. "Damn! It's like their skin is made of bone or something!" he hissed, ducking behind cover again. "These guys just don't know when to quit." "Sam, please! We need to get out of here!" Shelia's voice cracked from the sheer terror of this battle, a terror that Evee was completely familiar with. "Shit!" Rocky ducked out of cover one last time to shoot his pistol. As the bullet traveled across the field, it went directly through the eye of one of the aliens, who shriek in pain as their body tumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Rocky thought he was lucky that he finally killed one, but as he pulled the trigger again, the gun clicked. Empty. "Fuck! Outta ammo!" Rocky tossed the gun at the aliens, which hit one of them and caused it to become more angered than previously. "Evee, Shelia! On my signal, run as fast as you can!" "But Sam-" He gripped Sheila by the arms, forcing her to look at him. "Trust me, Shelia! We are getting out of this _alive_!" They waited until the aliens took a pause to reload their guns, and as Rocky shouted, the trio ran off in the opposite direction as fast as they could. One of the alien's shouted at the others, and they began to chase after their human targets.

Their suits were slowing them down a little, but they knew they had to stay one step ahead of these creatures. They were relentless, merciless, and above all, dangerous. "Keep going!" Rocky commanded, making sure the girls were ahead of him. If these aliens decided to catch up, they would have to deal with him first. There was no way in hell he was going to let these aliens lay a claw on his fiance and Evee. One of the aliens began to open fire again, nearly clipping Rocky in the arm. "Get behind that rock!" As the girls did so, Rocky took this chance to stop in his tracks. He had to face these things head on. Maybe he could even snag one of their guns and use it against them. "Sam, don't!" Sheila called out, but Rocky already dashed ahead, his battle cry echoing throughout the cliffs that hung overhead. One of the alien's were caught off guard by this action, and couldn't aim their gun fast enough to shoot at the charging human as he grabbed it's gun. The two began struggling for dominance over the firearm, their snarls and grunts being heard loudly on this field. The alien's comrades stopped in their tracks to try and shoot the human, but they couldn't for their own kind stood between them and their target. One shouted in their native language and withdrew something from it's belt, throwing it towards the struggling duo's direction. As it landed by Rocky's feet, he peered down at the strange, round object only to discover that they threw an alien grenade at them. "Oh hell..!" was all Rocky could say before the grenade went off, literally releasing a smoke screen to blur everyone's vision.

Sheila and Evee watched in fear as the smoke began to become thicker and thicker, obscuring the struggle that Rocky was locked in. "Sam!" she cried out to her fiance, praying he would answer. "Sam, answer me!" "Rocky!" Evee called out as well, before yelping at the sound of another alien gunshot. It suddenly grew quiet as the smoke continued to roll on, still making it difficult to see what was going on in front of them. After a moment, a figure began to make their way through the smoke slowly, a gentle gasping sound emitting on their radios. "Sam! Is that you?" Sheila came out from behind the rock to greet the unknown figure, praying to God that it was Rocky. As the figure came into view, the captain couldn't help but practically cry for joy.

It was short lived, however, as the smile faded from the woman's lips and was replaced with one of horror. Rocky had indeed returned to her, but with a plasma bullet wound that had pierced through his chest.

"SAM!"

Shelia grabbed him as he toppled towards her, helping him back toward the rock that they were hiding behind. The aliens seemed confused in their own smoke screen, which bought them time to get back into cover. She tripped as his weight brought her down, her mournful cries emitting loudly on the headset. "Don't you die on me, Sam! We're suppose to go back to Earth and get married! You promised me!" She placed her hands over his wound, trying her hardest to stop the bleeding. Evee couldn't believe her eyes from the scene before her. He was bleeding profusely, choking on his own blood. She was petrified with fear and shame, for she is the reason they were in this mess, the reason why they were on this godforsaken planet. Sheila grabbed his hand, holding it close as tears continued to flow from her eyes. "Please! Please don't go!" Rocky gagged as he looked up at the love of his life, smiling slightly before coughing up blood, soaking the inside of his helmet. "Sam, no! _No!_ " she cried as her beloved drew his last breath, his hand slipping from hers lifelessly, with eyes glazed over and staring at the empty, dark sky above. Evee had never witnessed anyone die like this before. It was extremely horrifying to witness, to watch a person literally draw their final breath before they are no longer alive. Her stomach turned violently to the point she wanted to vomit. Sheila bowed her head over his body, her mind reeling as she sobs loudly over his corpse. Suddenly, she does the unthinkable. She removed his helmet, a hissing sound emitting as air escaped from the bulky object's departure. Immediately afterwards, she removed her own helmet, an alarm on her suit beeping loudly as she did. "Sheila! What are you-" The captain leaned down to kiss her deceased lover, despite choking from the unbreathable atmosphere.

"I love you," she gasped, kissing him again as she sobs loudly.

The mysterious aliens heard their voices and came charging as the smoke lifted, ready to kill the rest of their latest intruders. Sheila choked as she looked up at Evee, smiling as she's made peace with her fate. "Go Evee. Run..." Those were were hard to get out as she spoke, her lungs possibly failing from taking in the bad air on this planet. She leaned over to kiss Rocky once more, before the bone infused aliens seemed to have spotted them. "Run... Evee. Live."

Suddenly, as Sheila sat up, ready to take her last breath, her chest exploded outward, covering Evee's suit with blood. She froze in shock as she watched the captain collapse on top of Rocky, dead from a well-placed shot to her back. Evee was frozen in place as the blood ran down her helmet, her own blood running cold as she watched this all happen right before her very eyes. Rocky's dead glazed eyes pierced back at her, as if they could see Evee's very soul. It was a warning to her.

She was going to die here if she stayed.

" _Run_ ," she heard Sheila repeat in her head. " _Run, Evee!_ "

Before the aliens had time to react to shoot Evee, she got up and sprinted away as fast as she could. They shouted at her, beginning to chase after the solitary human that was now in their sights. The bulk of her suit made it difficult to get too far ahead, but she was lucky enough that she got a head start. If she didn't want to die in this place, die by their alien guns, she would have to run. The terrain was getting harder to traverse as she ran ahead, but it seemed to give her the upper hand as it made it difficult for some of the aliens as well. She knew she couldn't stop. One tried firing at her, but the shots miraculously missed. She shrieked at the horrifying sounds, dodging every plasma bullet she could. She was absolutely terrified, but she couldn't give up yet. She suddenly came face to face with a ledge, showcasing that she was on a high cliff. She took this chance to look down below, seeing how the rock formations formed a sort of staircase to the bottom. Each ledge had a fair distance between them to appear like far drops, but it was either that or face the gun-wielding aliens. She chose the cliff.

One alien shouted at her as it fired it's gun, which missed again by an inch of her life as she ducked down to begin her descent down the cliff's edge. She dropped down and slipped on the steep ledge, groaning at the pain in her ankles as she landed crooked. "Dammit!" she groaned, taking a second to rub the pain out of her leg. It was cut short as a plasma shot hit the ground beside her, missing her once more. She was lucky that these aliens couldn't seem to aim their guns at her properly. Evee got to her feet again, limping over to the next ledge and climbing down to the next set. The aliens seemed to stay on the cliff's edge, constantly firing their guns at her. She continued to make her way to the bottom, almost making it there in one piece. She just had one more ledge to go, and then she can lose these aliens. She was so close now! A stray bullet from the alien's firearm suddenly struck her arm, and she lost her grip, falling to the next ledge. She landed face first, cracking her helmet before rolling off and falling again to the next ledge, and finally, to the plains below the cliff. Evee groaned as she pushed herself to her back, the air seeping out of her helmet as she watches the aliens begin their descent towards her. She started gasping for air as it seeped out of the crack on her helmet.

This was it, wasn't it?

She was going to die here.

"Evee!"

Alex?

The familiar voice belonging to a friend caused her to look towards the sound, seeing familiar and yet unfamiliar figures appear in the distance. "Kett! Stay back, Alex! Cora, Liam, cover me!" An unfamiliar male voice barked out commands to his comrades, humans from the looks of it. "I'll check on her!" the man shouted. "You got it, Pathfinder!" an unknown female voice called, their blurred figures dashing away as the other unknown figure approached her. They were wearing armor of some sort, and had an orange, holographic computer on their forearm. "Hang on!" he shouted as he typed something on the hologram. "I'm going to patch your helmet! Don't breath!" She did as she was told, but she couldn't seem to hold it long enough. She took this moment to look up at the stranger as her vision cleared a little, gazing back at a pair of icy blue eyes that belonged to him. His helmet obscured most of his face, including his mouth, but she could slightly tell that he was a brunette before her vision blurred once again. She coughed before choking on the air once again, her eyes slowly going to the back of her head. His voice was muffled as her hearing seemed to fade, as well as her vision. "She's fading! Get her to the Tempest, now!"

And suddenly, all of the light around her went dark.


	2. Chapter 2 - Some Jerk Named Ryder

She was running from something, the weight from the bulk of her suit causing her to slow down more than she would've liked. She knew the aliens were the ones that was chasing her. She had to get away from here, from them. If she didn't, they would kill her. She tripped over a rock and fell to the ground, her helmet cracked from the impact of her fall. The aliens were upon her now, their guns pointed at her. She turned to see her pursuers, their bone infused skin and green armor prominently displayed, as their receded, pale white eyes glared back at her, their razor sharp teeth snarling a vicious grin. "Please! No!" Her cries were ignored by the hostile aliens, who held their aim on her as she balled up in the fetal position. She was going to die here. She was going to die. She began kicking and shouting angrily as the aliens encircled her more, hoping to push them back and away. This will have to keep them back, at least momentarily. It had to. One snagged her arm, nearly ripping it out of her socket before pulling her up, her breath choking on the toxic air that inhabited the world. "Wha-What do... you want from me..?" she tried asking the aliens, but they ignored her. She dropped her head as she gasps for breath, coughing and choking before another word could come out.

Unbelievably, she heard Sheila's voice followed by Rocky's. She lifted her head to see the source of the voices, nearly screaming. The faces of the two NASA specialists were standing before her, blood dripping, pooling out of their wounds as their undead corpses began speaking to her.

"How could you do this to us, Evee?"

"I was going to marry Rocky when we got back to Earth."

"But you took that away from us."

"Now look at us, Evee. Look at what you did to Rocky and me!"

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she began screaming, her words filled with nothing but apologies. She begged them for forgiveness, to be at peace, that she would do anything for them. "There is nothing you can do to fix this," Rocky's disembodied voice said calmly, taking Sheila's hand and slowly disappeared in the fog. "No please!" she begged in a cough. "I don't want to die! Please! I don't want to die!" She began wailing in fear and desperation, her body too weak to fight back against the aliens. She tried begging to the aliens next, but it didn't work either. Tears streamed from her eyes as she choked to death on the unbreatheable air. All hope was lost.

" _Evee_."

Who was that? " _Evee, it's alright. Wake up._ " It sounded like a man. Alex? What did he mean, wake up? " _Evee, you have to wake up now!_ "

* * *

Evee shot her eyes open as she was shaken awake, the face of Alex standing above her. He sighed heavily with relief, immediately hugging her. "Evee! Thank God. You were practically screaming in your sleep." She groaned as she tried to sit up on her own, a headache manifesting as her eyes adjust to the bright lights on the walls. "Wha... Where..?" "You're safe now, Evee. We're safe," Alex said, reassuring her. Evee gazed around the room slowly, taking in her new, foreign surroundings. The room was very clean, sterile, however it felt a little small. There were two medical beds that were built into the machinery behind her, both with pillows that adorned a different colored stripe. She was sitting on the one with the pink stripe pillow, closest to the window that had the words "Med Bay" printed in bold letters. The other bed wasn't in use, and had strange half-circles connected to it. A constant beeping sound could be heard, although Evee was unsure as to where it came from. She noticed to her far right, there was a skeletal scan of her, as her name was indicated on the screen. She apparently appeared healthy, although that was all she could tell from first glance. It made her wonder if that beeping was coming from this screen, indicating her heartbeat. As her pulse began to race, so too did the beeping sound. That seemed to answer that question. She looked over at Alex again, taking in the sight of him. She prayed she wasn't dreaming as she made sure all of the features he had were there. The piercings, the long undercut hairstyle that was put into a ponytail, the tattoo of a woman's silhouette with stars adorn inside on his left upper bicep... Yes. This was Alex, her Alex.

But even with this knowledge, she still felt disoriented and confused. "Alex..? What's going on? I... I was being chased by some aliens or something, and then..." She choked up on her words, suddenly remembering the corpses of Rocky and Sheila as she fled from her alien pursuers. But it had to be a dream! This couldn't be real! Evee smashed her face into Alex's chest, tears beginning to flow with no sign of stopping. "Oh God, Alex! It was horrible! Rocky... and Sheila, they..!" "Shh. Don't try to talk now, okay Little Red? You're safe here." Alex gently stroked her head, cooing her softly as she gripped his grey tank top tightly. It truly felt like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from, a tormented dream that will forever haunt her because of that damned device they found on Mars. She wished she had never found it. She wished that she ignored it when she stepped on it. Evee's face wiped her tears on his tank top as she pressed it against his chest, stifling her sobs the best she could. "Alex... tell me. What happened? Is this really real, or a dream that _feels_ real?" She could hear him sigh deeply, about to open his mouth before the sound of a hissing door interrupted them. "Evee! Oh my God, hey!" It was Judas' voice. Evee looked up, noticing that it was he who entered the room.

She took this moment to calm herself and make sure that it was truly him as well, not wanting to leave anything to chance. He had a similar undercut hairstyle to Alex, but whereas Alex's head was shaved on the sides, Judas' was only cut around the nape of his neck. All those months in space allowed it to grow out into a ponytail, which he seemed to have kept when Evee told him that it looked cool. His bangs were covering his forehead a little, but his green eyes were visible from miles away. She sighed; good. It was Judas. He dashed towards the opposite side of her medical bed, leaning in close to her face. "How you feelin'?! Are you okay? Do you feel sick or anything?!" He was desperate to know if she was okay, fanatic even. It almost scared her. "Dude, relax," Alex murmured, his hand trying to push Judas back to give Evee some space. "She's okay. She just had a nightmare." Her face contoured into a grimace, her knees buckled close to her chest. It was more than just some nightmare. It was a nightmare she was reliving every time she closed her eyes. "I'm glad you're okay, Evee," Judas finally said, his hand resting on her shoulder. "If it weren't for that guy, you'd be dead for sure." Evee's head perked up at the mention of this "guy," curiosity getting the best of her. "Wha-What guy..?" Alex's eyes shifted over to Judas who only bit the inside of his cheek in response. Alex helped her off the medical table, his body being her crutch as she tries to balance herself. "It's best if you meet him," he replied, letting go of her arm. "He's in the cargo bay. Just... don't freak out over his crew, okay? They seem like good guys..." Judas scoffed annoyingly. "Oh sure, until they shoot you in your sleep," he griped with a huff, crossing his arms. Alex snorted as he peered over at him, shaking his head. "They haven't done it yet, now have they? Besides, they saved our lives - they saved Evee's life." Judas scoffed as he shook his head, ignoring Alex. "I still don't trust 'em," he argued. "C'mon, Evee," Alex continued, ignoring Judas and his complaints. "Let me take you to the Pathfinder. He'll want to see you're awake."

Pathfinder?

As they approached the door, it hissed open and revealed a small hallway. Blue and white lights lit up the area, her eyes examining the unknown location. Upon looking above her head, she noticed a glass-like walkway, with what appeared to be a woman power walking across it before disappearing behind another hissing door down the far right. Also at the end of the corridor, she saw another door with the words "Pathfinder's Quarters" written above it. "What is this place?" Evee asked, observing the rest of her surroundings. She noticed the door in front of her with the words "Crew Quarters" above it. She was lucky everything was labelled. Another set of words caught her attention, too, as it was written in even larger letters. _Andromeda Initiative_. Andromeda? That was the galaxy closes to the Milky Way. Did they use the name for their Initiative because it sounded cool? Alex noticed that she was enthralled with her surroundings, admiring the ship they were on. He had to admit, he was mighty impressed with the ship, too. "I heard them calling it the Tempest," Alex answered finally. "Apparently, it's a scout ship for space." Her head snapped back at him, her eyes widened with excitement. "What, like a space ship?" she asked, tilting her head curiously. Alex chuckled a little, nodding his head. He knew she would like that. "Yeah. A space ship. Kinda cool, huh?" Evee slowly nodded in reply, mesmerized by the fact that they were on such a vessel. If they were flying through space right now, however, then how are they able to stand upright and not float around? Did this futuristic space ship have anti-gravity technology or something? She couldn't help but remain curious. She felt Alex nudge her arm, helping her towards the large door to her left. "This is where I last saw the Pathfinder going. I think this is the cargo bay." Evee swallowed hard. Was she actually nervous about meeting this Pathfinder? Who was he? What should she say to him?

The door hissed open and revealed a large glass panel in front of them. Evee assumed it had to be the cargo bay. Although, a large, oddly shaped figure stood firm in their path, shadowing their view of the next room. She had never seen anything like it, and couldn't help but investigate it. Alex took in a breath, leaning into her ear. "This is a member of the crew," he whispered. "An alien." She froze in place, bewildered from Alex's words. Another alien? Here on this ship? And a member of the crew, no less! This thing was going to kill them, wasn't it? Just like the other aliens tried to do? Alex cleared his throat, grabbing the alien's attention, much to Evee's dismay. "Relax," he whispered again. "They're not the enemy. They helped us." The large alien grunted as he turned around, noticing the two humans before it. It was wearing yellowish armor, adorned with large bones (or was it teeth?) strapped to it. A large hump was on it's back, similarly to a camel hump, although it might've provided the alien with a different function. It had said something as it pointed at Evee, allowing her to see that it had three, large, stubby claw-like fingers. She immediately grabbed Alex's arm, practically hiding behind it as the alien approached. As it stepped into the light, it's face seemed obviously aged, and had miniature spikes on it's chin, similarly to a beard of sorts. Perhaps it was the male of it's species? It had the characteristics of a turtle in the face, with a harden shell-like crown on it's head, which was also spiky. It's eyes shimmered in a frightening yellow tone, with reptilian slits for pupils staring back at her. It felt like a hefty giant, towering over her in a way she couldn't explain. It made Evee feel extremely uncomfortable, no matter how much Alex tried to calm her down.

It spoke it's language to them again, it's voice deep and gravelly as it spoke. What were they saying to her? How did anyone understand these aliens and their weird languages? "Oh, I see you met Drack." The sound of a man's voice was heard after the hiss of an opening door, his British accent clear as day. A man with dark skin approached them, his brown eyes sparkling as he nudges the alien's arm. "Don't let him intimidate you. He's not all bad for an old man." Evee drew back slightly, still unsure of the stranger and the alien. Alex placed his hand to her back soothingly. "Don't worry," he whispered to her. "He's one of the people who saved us." The man outstretched his hand to Evee, who could only stare at it. "I'm Liam Kosta. Nice to meet you." Liam? Evee suddenly remembered hearing someone calling out to that name, before rushing over to her side. She remembered those icy blue eyes so vividly... could the man who saved her be the man known as the Pathfinder? She took his hand gingerly, slowly shaking it. "I-I'm Evee." "Evee? That's a pretty name. Short for Evangeline, right?" She looked startled at the mention of her full name, her hand suddenly retracting from him. He smiles a bit bashfully, chuckling a little. "Sorry. I forgot to mention. You're friend Alex told me your name. I didn't mean to upset you." She looked up at Alex for confirmation, only to see him smile and nod his head in reply. She began to relax a little, but not by too much. She still wasn't too sure about these people.

The alien spoke in it's deep voice to Liam, pointing at his head before bellowing a laugh. "Oh right," he chuckled. "Now I see what the problem is. You guys don't have translators yet." Liam showed the small device in his ear, tapping at it as an indicator to what he meant. "It'll translate any alien language into whatever language you prefer. We have extra ones from the Nexus, in case we meet new aliens or if our implants stop working. I can fetch them for you." His smile was kind as he looked at Evee with bright eyes, which began to put her at ease. The alien known as Drack didn't seem so bad either, despite his scary appearance. She smiled a little. It felt like it's been some time since she's smiled so calmly. The sound of a hissing door came from behind them, and Judas appeared. He seemed to have been watching from the Med Bay window, and decided to join the party. He didn't want to leave Evee alone with these strange people and aliens. Especially aliens. Judas crossed his arms as he stared holes at Liam, making the man uncomfortable. The soldier would cough before he began to slip away towards the cargo bay. "I better go get those translators. The sooner you get them, the sooner you can understand krogan." Liam patted Drack's arm before departing, causing the alien to laugh again before waving at Evee and her friends. He said something in his native tongue again as he walked past them, his feet thudding loudly as he continued down the corridor of the ship. She raised her shoulders slightly, watching the alien from afar. As the door hissed closed, Evee smiled, shrugging a little. "He isn't so bad," she admitted, looking over at Alex. He nodded his head. "I told you. These guys are a helluva lot nicer than the aliens you saw. We don't know much about those guys, yet." "They... didn't exactly tell us much," Judas said in a stern voice. "Except that they are to be avoided, whenever possible. It's like they know something about them that we don't." Evee's eyes lowered to her feet. They weren't wrong. Those aliens back on that strange planet tried to kill her, successfully slaughtering Rocky and Sheila. She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the large lump in her throat. She didn't want to cry again, yet it was so hard not to. She had to think about something else.

As she peered over at the glass, she saw what looked like a six-wheeled vehicle, sleek in design. It was an icy white, clean and crisp, as if it was a brand new car they bought from the dealership. The door before them hissed open, and another alien was there, along with a human woman with blonde, undercut hair. Her head had turned in the direction of the door, noticing Evee. She said something to the tall, slender alien next to her before coming towards them, the alien turning to watch the woman depart. Alex nudged Evee's arm, hinting that this alien was also a good guy. The only glimpse that she got of it was this odd blue visor across it's eyes. That, and their body type was extremely slim and tall. The human woman stood in front of her, however, blocking her view of the rest of the alien. "I'm Lieutenant Cora Harper. I am the Pathfinder's second." She stood tall as she spoke, her hands locked firmly behind her back. She was a beautiful woman, too, with her platinum blonde hair swept over the left side of her face, curving to the shape of her cheek. Her brown eyes looked Evee up and down, as if studying her. She suddenly felt like she was being judged by this woman, as if her lieutenant status gave her the right to do so. Cora gave a small smile, tilting her head in a nod. "It's good to see you're awake," she finally responded after looking Evee over. "He'll be glad that you survived. He was... very distraught when he found you in such a state." "Wh-Who? The Pathfinder?" Evee saw her nod her head in response, her hand moving in the direction of the vehicle. "He's right over here, working on the Nomad." She began to lead Evee away to the opposite side of the car, but Evee couldn't move. She looked at Alex, who only nudged her with his hand. "Go on. We'll be right here for you." She swallowed hard before her feet began moving again, following the woman in front of her. The lieutenant led her to the other side of the car, towards someone working on the vehicle. ' _That's him? The Pathfinder?_ ' Evee thought to herself, swallowing hard.

Cora stood aside for Evee to greet the man they called the Pathfinder, she thought about what she could possibly say to him. Should she say hello, or perhaps thank him for saving her? Or should she begin to bombard him with all of these questions that continued to rack in her brain? As she approached, she was surprised to see someone was halfway inside the vehicle, tinkering with it on the inside. Their bottom was in the air a little, swaying only a tad as they tried to tighten something. Evee couldn't help but admire this, being caught completely off-guard. She tried to clear her head, however, as she remembered that the Pathfinder wanted to speak with her. "Ex-Excuse me?" she called out. "Are you the Pathfinder?" The person began to slightly pull themselves out of the vehicle as she spoke, climbing down and finally coming face to face with her. Evee's amber eyes grew as she saw her savior's face at last, doing everything in her subconscious to memorize his features. His face was nicely shaped, his thick, brown hair was combed back and styled slightly with a side part, with a dusk of a beard on his face. His face seemed relaxed, but serious as he stared at her, wiping the grease from his hands. That was when she noticed his forearms, and how the muscles rippled underneath his skin every time he moved. And his hands! They were large, probably calloused from all the years of hard work, but they looked strong and capable of doing whatever task was given to him. He cleared his throat gently to grab her attention, causing her to snap her head up to look him in the eye. And right then and there, she was able to confirm that this was indeed the same man who saved her, for staring back at her was a set of familiar icy blue eyes that she dared not forget. These were the eyes of her savior, of the man who risked his life to help her.

She swallowed hard before clearing her own throat, and fixing her bangs behind her ears. "H-Hi." He raised a brow at her from that timid response, causing her to stammer a moment before continuing. "I'm Evee." He began to nod his head in understanding, wiping one of his fingers of the grease. "You're Evangeline Roberts." She was startled as he spoke, hardly able to reply back to him. The Pathfinder sighed a little, pointing in a direction. "Your friends told me your name." It wasn't the fact he knew her name that took her by surprise. It was his voice. She didn't expect it to sound so calm and gentle, and most certainly not so charming. She imagined he had a deep voice, but was clearly mistaken. And in a way, Evee was glad to be wrong. She looked him over one more time, taking in his features to memory. "An-And you're the man who saved me? The pathfinder..?" He nodded in reply, his eyes locking onto hers. "That's right. I'm Ryder."

Ryder.

"Thank you. If you guys hadn't have come along when you did..." He didn't respond. He seemed to be watching her closely, as if observing to see what she might do or say. It was starting to make her feel nervous. Was he judging her about something? He turned his back to her, setting down the rag and picking up a tool. "How did you end up on Habitat 7?" His question was so direct, his voice highly serious as he tinkers with the tool in his hand. Evee stammered again, his question catching her off-guard. "Wha-What..?" "The planet where we found you and the others on. Our 'golden world.'" Ryder turned his head to peer over his shoulder at her, his eyes shifting slightly as he places the tool back down. "The equipment you had is ancient, shoddy at best. There is no way those suits would've lasted the way they did." He turned to her at last, crossing his arms. "How _exactly_ did you get there to that planet? And with tech that's been out of date for centuries?" Evee was utterly confused by this line of questioning. What did he mean that their technology was out of date? It was the most advance pieces of hardware they had of that year. Was there something going on that she didn't know about? Evee wasn't sure if she should tell him what had happened back on Mars, but if Ryder could shed some light on why it happened, or even what's going on right now, then perhaps...

"We... We were on Mars," she admitted, biting her lip nervously. She dug her toe into the floor, her eyes adverting from his gaze. "We were selected by NASA to be the first to explore it. We were suppose to find water there." Ryder took a step back from her, surprised by Evee's story so far. "After about a month on the planet, we were running low on food and water. But we found more. There were caches that were left behind to resupply us..." He peered over at some of these caches she spoke of, noting that they also came with her and her friends. "We... I, had found something. A metal panel of some kind. I touched it. I thought it was safe!" Evee gripped her arms, almost hugging herself tightly. "It's all my fault... Rocky and Sheila are dead because of me. I didn't mean to activate it! I didn't even know it was going to cause a storm!" "Stop." Ryder's authoritative voice shook her from her thoughts, grabbing her attention. "You mean to tell me... you _teleported_ from Mars to Habitat 7?" Even Evee admitted to herself that it sounded crazy, but she simply nods to him in reply. He scoffs softly, tuning away. "Impossible. I suppose you time traveled, too, huh?" "Time traveled?" Evee took a step closer to him, her face contorted in confusion. "What do you mean? What year is it right now? Where exactly are we?" Ryder turned to her once again, his hands on his hips. His look was stern, but he answered her questions in a cool demeanor.

"You're in the Andromeda Galaxy. The year is 2819."

Evee's heart sank into the pit of her stomach as she heard those words. She couldn't believe it. This definitely had to be a dream now. That was 800 years in the future! And in a whole different galaxy, for that matter! She stumbled backwards slightly, catching herself on some crate before she fell. "2819..? No. That's impossible," she whispered, turning away from Ryder. "It was still 2018... we were gonna celebrate Christmas and New Year's on Mars for the first time... there's just no way!" The Pathfinder shook his head, crossing his arms. He was surprised to hear how far back they came from. It was impossible! He thought about protocol, about what to do in this situation with unknowns. He had to do this by the book, just like with everything else he's done. "You are not part of the Initiative," he said, affirmatively. "You are unknowns. People who are marooned out here... people who don't belong." Evee turned to him, her face grimacing angrily at him. "What does that mean?" He didn't answer her. Did he say it the wrong way? She stomped over to him, nearly shoving him to look at her. "Hey! What the hell did you mean, 'people who don't belong?' Is that some sort of threat?!" "No. An observation," Ryder replied coolly, adjusting his shirt. Despite how much he wished he could yell back, he knew it as wrong. He had to keep a calm, respectful demeanor. "As par procedure, I'm taking you and your friends to the Nexus, where Director Tann and the others will decide what is to be done with you. They are the ones who lead the Initiative now. I must refer to their judgement." "And what _is_ to be done with us, huh, Ryder?!" Evee shouted angrily. "What are those people gonna do to us?!" He did everything he could to remain calm and collected, which was eerie, given the circumstances. Judas and Alex had dashed over as they heard Evee's voice shouting, both concerned and confused as to what was going on. The Pathfinder leaned his arm against the vehicle, a gentle sigh flaring through his nose. "I am not sure. But if I were to guess..." He paused for a moment, thinking about the possible outcomes could be to bringing them to the Nexus would be. He didn't like thinking about it. Hell, he didn't like the fact that he has to do this. But rules were rules. He had to take them. Ryder swallowed a bit, his eyes gazing up at her.

"The worse they would do is exile you. But I believe they would simply detain you until a trial could be held. And then, after things smooth over, they'll give you the final judgment."

Evee almost wished that he didn't answer her. She was in complete disbelief over what was happening. First, she's saved by a stranger only to be thrust inside a jail cell for crimes they didn't even commit? She sighed angrily. "They- You guys can't do that!" Ryder didn't bother looking at her. "It's not my call," he replied simply. "Unbelievable! We didn't do anything wrong! Those aliens attacked _us_!" She was determined to get this man to listen to her, to hear her plight and try to do something about it. But instead, he stood there quietly, listening to her rant. "I already take the blame for causing this! For getting Sheila and Rocky killed! I was the one who activated that stupid device! It was _me_!" "Evee," Alex's voice soothingly called to her, trying to calm her down. She looked over at him with tears in her eyes, ready to stream down her cheeks again. Ryder waited a moment before sighing. "I'm just following procedure," he replied simply. "There are protocols we have to follow. Rules we have to uphold..." She shook her head, the tears finally falling down her cheeks as she balled up her fists. They trembled terribly, simply angry at everything. At him! She despised Ryder, hated him. He was a jerk!

"You are such an asshole," Evee told him, looking up with angry eyes fulls of tears. His head snapped up to look at her, his eyes wide from the sudden statement. He tries to speak, but she cuts him off instantaneously. "But I just-" "I thought you were a decent person after saving me... but it looks like I was wrong. You might as well have let those monsters kill me, too!" She stormed off past Judas and Alex, whom - after giving Ryder one final look - took off after her. Cora stood there silently, vigilantly as Ryder finally let out a long sigh, both hands cupping his face. He screwed up, he thought. He had to have. He was only trying to be professional about this, explain it simply so there wouldn't be any problems. But instead, he created more problems. And it hurt. He tried to think about the device she described, wondering what it was exactly that she found. It was times like this he wish Sara was awake. She would've been able to help him. Not just with discovering what the device on Mars was.

But with how to talk to women properly.

"Ryder? Are you okay?"

Cora's voice was calm and quiet as she spoke. She saw how distraught he was over this, how in pain he was from Evee's words. It felt like a plasma round was shot into his gut. It burned and scourged him. "Y-Yeah. I'm alright." He lied. "Thanks, Cora. I'm... going to get back to work on the Nomad." She had a inkling that he was lying. He wasn't very good at it, either. However, she knew it was not best to push the issue right now. She departs back to her lab to tend to the plants, as Ryder picks up a tool and begins to work on the vehicle again. However, his heart remained heavy as he began tinkering away, Evee's words still resonating in the back of his mind.

* * *

Evee had stormed back to Med Bay, nearly collapsing into the medical bed as she tries to clear her mind. However, it proves difficult as her memories come back to haunt her. She sobs quietly. It was all his fault, that Ryder. She simply couldn't believe that jerk! Did he truly not care about her and the others? Was he too big of a soldier man to even worry over them? Maybe his career was too important, since he insisted on following protocols and such. Maybe if she were in his position, she would understand, but still - Ryder was an ungrateful, rude, self-absorbed jerk! Alex and Judas entered the Med Bay right after her, both concerned for her well-being after what had transpired with Ryder. Alex lightly touched her arm, gently rubbing it to soothe her. "Hey Evee. C'mon. It'll be okay," he said calmly, offering her a tiny smile. She jerked her arm away suddenly, her voice full of venom as she continues to sob. "Don't touch me! Please." She couldn't meet his eyes, knowing that they begged for her to look at him. She couldn't face him, or Judas, or anyone right now. She wanted to be left alone. "Go away. Just leave me alone," she whispered quietly, her bangs falling over her eyes. "Please just leave me alone." Judas objected to her request right away, shaking his head furiously. "No way! We can't leave you alone here. You need us!" She groaned angrily to herself, her hands balling into fists again. Why couldn't he just understand that she needed to be left alone? "Go. Away." "No. I can't-! I won't-!" "Judas," Alex said calmly, gently pulling him back by the shoulder. "She needs her space." "But-!" Judas tried to object again, but Alex silenced him. He didn't want to leave her here alone, either, but what choice was there now? Evee was in a dark place, her mind scrambled like breakfast eggs. She needed to recollect herself, and the only way she could was to be left alone. There really was no choice. Judas realized that Alex wasn't letting this slide, and growled in defeat. He hated losing like this. Evee didn't need to be alone right now! He wanted to be with her! "She just needs time to adjust," Alex replied finally, gently pushing Judas back with his palm pressed against the man's chest. "I know that's hard to believe, but I've known her since we were kids. Trust me. She just needs a minute to herself right now, okay?" Judas looked over at Evee, watching her sob quietly on the medical bed, her head hung lower than her shoulders. He hated leaving her. He wanted to be the one to comfort her, to make her smile, laugh, be happy. He still wanted to be with her, and be more than just a friend. He wanted to be something else.

But he sighs, knowing that Alex is right about one thing: he's known her since they were kids, while Judas has only known her for seven months. Still, it too feels like a lifetime. "Fine," he huffs quietly. "But if she needs me, I'm there! I ain't gonna let her handle this all on her own." Alex nods as he gently leads Judas out, leaving Evee all alone at last. The room was peaceful and quiet at last, leaving the distraught woman to her personal thoughts. Especially of all that has happened these past few... has it been hours, or days? She didn't know how long she's been here, or what had happened after she blacked out. It didn't matter none at the moment, however, as a massive pulse pounded at her temples. Evee lifted the hem of her tank top to wipe her eyes of the tears, groaning in pain. " _Great. A headache. Just what I need_ ," Evee thought to herself, pressing her temple into her palm. She knew it was all because of that jerk, Ryder, and the excitement of all that had happened to her recently. She tried to ignore it, thinking about Sheila and Rocky. Did they leave their bodies back on that planet? Did those aliens take them away? What were those creatures, and why were they so hostile? Why try to kill her? Why kill Rocky and Sheila? The questions only made her head hurt more. She sniffled as she sat up a little, her bangs getting stuck to her cheeks by her sweat and tears. "This sucks," she murmured to herself. The door hissed open suddenly, but Evee didn't seem to hear it. It wasn't as loud as most would thought it would be. Footsteps approached her, a hand reaching out to touch her. "Are you feeling well?" The voice was soft, gentle, and sweet. Yet it also belonged to someone Evee's never heard of before. She looked up, a heavy gasp following right after as she was startled by the stranger. It was another alien, or at least, Evee thought it was another alien. It was a woman with blue skin, with what appeared to be a sort of crest or something on her head where her hair should be. She was wearing a red and white outfit, complete with gloves to protect her hands. Her face had a very thin, light blue stripe that extended from her bottom lip to her chin, although Evee wasn't sure if it was a marking or some weird alien tattoo. She had a nice round face, with worried filled, but caring eyes that seemed to be examining her closely. The alien lifted her hands, indicating that she meant no harm towards her. She almost looked... human. "Please don't be alarmed. I'm the doctor assigned to the Pathfinder team," she replied softly, offering a sweet smile. "I'm Doctor Lexi T'Perro. Your friend, Alex, told me your name's Evangeline?" Evee groaned as the headache came for it's next wave of pain again, making her slightly wince. "Y-Yeah," she said with a sniff. Lexi had noticed that she was crying, and dug into her pocket to off her a tissue. "Here, sweetie. Blow." Evee took the tissue after a second of hesitation, proceeding to blow her nose for the doctor. It made the headache slightly worse, but she had to agree that she needed that.

Lexi continued to observe her, noting how Evee groaned in pain and continued to grab her head. She had made an immediate diagnosis, getting straight to work. She came over to the center of the two beds, working on the machinery as the human continued to clean herself up. "Are you experiencing headaches?" Lexi asked, peering over her shoulder. Evee looked up in confusion at first, before she realized what the doctor was asking. "Yes." The doctor nodded, tapping on the console. "Understandable. After a trauma like that, humans are highly susceptible to headaches." Trauma? What trauma? "Wha-What are you talking about?" Evee asked the alien, her eyes squinting to adjust to the sudden bright lights all around her. The doctor took a moment to make another input on the console before moving to the other side of the med bay, grabbing what looked like a tablet with a clear, digital screen. "Your oxygen was cut off to your brain for some time. Likely from when your helmet cracked back on Habitat 7. Ryder was able to patch it up in time, but you had already blacked out." Just the mention of his name left Evee with a bad taste in her mouth. She was grateful that he saved her, but that was the extent of her thanks to him. Anything else about him, she didn't care. She let out a huff, turning from the alien doctor. "So what? He slapped duct tape to my helmet or something?" Lexi took note at how angry Evee sounded at the mention of the Pathfinder. She seemed to have judged him base on how he acts, not his personality. She shook her head, forcing a tiny laugh. "No. But he did fix your helmet's crack to stop the oxygen leak with his omni-tool." "Omni what?" The doctor looked over at the human with a raised brow, not realizing that Evee's not exactly of this world. She approaches her, clicking something on the tablet. "It's a handheld device that combines a computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and minifacturing fabricator into one. It's standard issued for soldiers and first-in colonists." Evee still seemed confused, which Lexi expected she would be. With the tablet in her left hand, she raises her arm and an orange, hologram appears, which Lexi prompts to typing something on it with her right hand. Evee suddenly remembered from before, when Ryder came to save her. He had an orange hologram on his left arm, too. "This is an omni-tool," the doctor explained. "It has a multitude of functions to benefit our needs. Mine being medical, of course." She tapped on a button and a holographic light appeared, which she aimed on the human. "What are you-?!" "Relax, Evangeline," Lexi hushed. "I am scanning you to make sure there is nothing else wrong besides a headache. Can't be too careful." She offers her a smile, which calms Evee slightly. It didn't hurt her or anything. It was like an equivalent to having a dim flashlight pointing at someone.

"There we are," Lexi said at last, looking at the results. "Hm. You had an old hairline fracture in your left forearm, one that could've been obtained from a biking accident." Evee was shocked that Lexi saw that. She had practically forgotten all about that old injury, back when she was in high school. She remembered going home to her parents with Alex, showing them what had happened before they rushed her to the hospital. "It could've been worse," she had told her parents with a laugh. It almost brought tears to her eyes just to relive that little memory. "Y-Yeah. It wasn't serious," she replied, trying her hardest not to choke up. Lexi made a note of that on her tablet, before going back to the omni-tool to flick on a flashlight. "I need you to do a couple more tests for me, and then answer some questions." Evee was almost about to ask why, when she realized that this alien is a doctor. It was obvious that she was going to ask medical questions. "Follow the light, please." As Evee complied, Lexi had asked her for her medical history, her allergies, and so on. It made her a little nervous, telling a complete stranger things she barely even told any other random doctor. However, she got the feeling that she was going to be here a while. A _long_ while. After the tests, Lexi continued to note them down on her tablet, making sure she had every bit of information she needed on record. "All right. Just one more thing and you're home free," she tried joking, which seemed to succeed a little as Evee cracked a tiny smile. Lexi took victory in this, putting the tablet down and retrieving a syringe. "This is a vaccine," she told the human before she could ask, knowing she would. "Your friend Judas was highly against me giving him a shot, but it is required. Being sick in space is not ideal, and we don't want you or the others to become ill from unknown viruses." She turned to the human, who's eyes stared at the needle in the alien's hand. "Is this all right? I will only give you this shot with your consent." Evee was nervous about this. What if there were other things inside that syringe that were going to hurt her in the long run? Or what if there was medicine intended for aliens inside the tube instead of human medicine? She didn't think the doctor would be so careless, but it still worried her.

"Um... I just have one question," Evee asked, rubbing her shoulder subconsciously. Lexi looked at her quizzically, ready to answer any questions the human might have. At first, she wasn't sure if she should ask this alien, but she did worry. What if she wasn't experienced at all, or was new to the job? What if she didn't really know her stuff? "What... What is your experience working with human patients? How long have you been doing this?" The alien let out a tiny laugh, shaking her head a little. "That boy, Nikolai. He asked the same thing." Evee felt a wash of relief sweep over her at the sound of Niko's name. She was so glad to hear that he's here, too. Maybe Valentina was as well, since Alex and Judas were here. Maybe Professor Stevenson was, too. Lexi grabbed the bottle with the vaccine in it, drawing it with the syringe. "I have been doing this for 200 years, and I have exemplary knowledge in human anatomy." She approached Evee with the syringe and wipe, offering another sweet smile. "Do not worry. I have steady hands. I promise I won't do anything that'll cause you more discomfort." The years of knowledge that the doctor had surprised Evee greatly, her curiosity getting the best of her. She wanted to know how old Lexi was now, and how she is able to live that long. What made her become a doctor, and will she keep doing it after a few more years? There were so many questions that Evee wanted to ask her, but the pounding headache made it's rounds again. The questions will have to wait for now. She took a breath, offering her arm to the alien. "Please give me the vaccine. If you say I need it, then..." The doctor went straight to work as she got the confirmation from Evee, cleaning the area on her shoulder before getting ready to use the needle. "I know it can be scary, but I promise it'll only hurt a pinch." "It's okay," Evee reassured the alien doctor. "I'm not scared of needles." Lexi was glad to hear that, and carefully inserted the needle into her shoulder, distributing the vaccine to protect her new patient from future illnesses. It was done quickly, and Lexi retrieved a bandage to place over the prick. "There. All done." Evee felt relieved, but she knew she wasn't done yet. The doctor still had to help her with her headache. Then, a strange thought occurred to her. This alien is able to speak the human language. It was an odd thing, but it made her wonder. "Um.. so," Evee began, trying to make this question sound natural. "You know English? That's... cool." Lexi peered over at Evee as she was cleaning up her slight mess, a brow raised. "Well, I studied the human language a little. Your kind speak so many of them, I didn't know if I should attempt to learn one." She returned with the tablet again, inputting some information into it. "I heard English was the most common one used on your homeworld. I didn't exactly understood what made it the superior language, but I opted to learn it, anyway. It was a side lesson I did in my spare time." "Well, English isn't exactly superior," Evee tried to brush off. "It's just a popular language, like Spanish or Arabic nowadays. Or, at least..." She bit her lip, not exactly sure if her words were considered correct anymore. Now that she was in the future, so to speak.

"Well, anyway. I'm glad you know it. It kinda helps with some of us who can't understand alien languages." The doctor nodded in reply, noting how the human and her companions didn't have the translators in their ear. She made another quick note before standing before the human, examining them. "All right. Let's take care of this headache, shall we?" Evee let out a breath in relief. She was happy to finally be able to get rid of this headache once and for all. It was the future, so maybe they had a pill, or maybe even a gel that could make the headache disappear like magic. Well, maybe almost like magic. "Can you show me exactly where it hurts? That way I can pinpoint the nerves that are inflamed." She pointed out to the doctor the major area in her temple where the pain was, watching her note it down again. Lexi seemed quiet all of a sudden as she worked, as if she was thinking about something important. It gave time for Evee to think, as well. How long has she been here? Where in Andromeda are they exactly? What is the Andromeda Initiative all about? How did they even get here from the Milky Way? Are there other aliens in this galaxy they meet besides the murderous ones? She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Lexi until she spoke again. "You are very lucky Ryder saved you when he did. He had been through a very similar trauma when we first arrived to Andromeda." This caused Evee to be curious. Despite having a dislike for him, Ryder apparently was worried over her condition at the time. Everyone she met so far had told her that. She leaned forward, tilting her head. "What happened?" The doctor lowered her eyes as she stared at her tablet, a sadness overcoming her features. Evee felt that there was more to this than she was being told, and that she wasn't going to get all the answers right away. "He... He was clinically dead for 22 seconds, Because his helmet completely shattered on Habitat 7." Lexi began typing away on her tablet, not meeting the human's eyes. "He lost so many things that day. He was unable to focus for a short time." She paused a moment before looking up at Evee at last, a sad smile gracing her lips. "But then he found you, in a similar situation. He went straight to work to try and avoid the same thing that happened to him, happen to you. Some would say he was determined, really." She finished making another note before putting the tablet down beside her human patient. "And after being out cold for two days, I'm sure it was a tremendous relief when he saw you up and walking around."

Evee sat there quietly on the medical bed. The way the doctor made it sound, it was as if Ryder wasn't that bad of a person at all. In fact, he seemed like a kind, decent person who put others before himself. However, the bitter memories of his words came back, and she scowled. "He's a jerk," she replied with a frown. Lexi blinked from the statement, startled by the sudden aggression in her words. "He doesn't care about us. He's just some soldier boy, following protocol, or whatever. He's taking us to be judged at this Nexus place. We might end up in jail for doing nothing!" She crossed her arms angrily, trying to shrink her size down into a ball. "He's... awful!" Lexi let out a sigh. She didn't think this might happen, but she knew why Evee was so bitter. The Pathfinder was a man who exhibit heart and empathy in many situations, but maintains a direct and professional demeanor. After many considerations, she believed that a solid and respectful approach to things is just his nature when it came to his professionalism. Which was a problem to some who met him, however. While he was kind and easy to work alongside with, it seemed that with complete strangers, Ryder would push his professionalism even harder, not taking a moment to himself to think about what these people might feel afterwards. He couldn't help it. It was what protected him from the unknown. Lexi noticed this as she continued to evaluate him, even letting him know. She remembered that he denied it once to her, but then let her in on a couple of his secrets and fears. She didn't know how to explain it to Evee, but she was willing to try and convince her that the human Pathfinder was not a bad person. "Don't judge him too harshly," the blue skinned alien said in a sweet, calming voice. She checked the scanner on her arm before looking Evee over again. "Ryder is kind deep down, but... he wears his professionalism like a shield. He's not use to being himself around strangers. Or people he doesn't consider friends yet." She looked up at Lexi, her eyes showing how unconvinced she is of this description of the Pathfinder. "I promise you. Ryder _is_ a good man. He just... needs some time to adjust to you and your companions." "Yeah right," Evee scoffed, shaking her head. "He doesn't care about me or my friends. If he did, he would be helping us find a way home instead of taking us to be judged by a group of politicians." The alien sighed in defeat. There was no way she could convince Evee that the Pathfinder was, indeed, a good person. Perhaps, in time, this human woman will open her eyes and see the man behind the title. That is, if Ryder lowered his shield and acted more casual and showed a bit more empathy towards Evee.

The doctor's thoughts are suddenly interrupted as the door hisses opened again, and a very eager Liam comes dashing in. "There you are! I didn't think you would be in here, again." He held his palm out to her, showing her a strange device that resembled an earbud in his hand. "I got you that translator you needed. I can-" It took a moment for him to realize Lexi was there, standing quietly with a small smile. "Oh! Sorry, Dr. T'Perro. I was just bringing Evee a translator, so she can understand everyone." She smiled at Liam with a nod of her head, gesturing to the female human with her hand. He comes over to her, handing over the device. "You put it in your ear, like this." Liam demonstrated how to insert the translator, which Evee followed with great ease. "Now let's test it out. Doctor, say something in the asari language." Evee was curious as to what Liam meant by the term asari, but didn't get to ask before she heard Lexi's voice again. However, it still sounded like she was speaking English to her. "Did you say something in your language?" Evee asked. "It sounded like you were talking to me normally, like before." The doctor let out a little laugh. "Yes. I spoke my native language. It means the translator is working." Evee was shocked with amazement. She didn't realize how smoothly the translators worked, or if they were going to work at all. The doctor took this time to grab some medication for the human female, getting a small prescription ready for consumption. "Here you are. Some painkillers." Evee took it hesitantly, a brow raised as she grimaced at it. "Pills? You're giving me pills?" She looked up at the doctor at last, who only nodded in reply. "If you want to get better, you only take two of them at least two times a day. I suggest taking them after waking up in the morning, and right before bed." She couldn't believe it. It seemed that, in the future, people still relied on pills and the like. The future didn't seem so different in that regard. She decided to take a couple now, just to be on the safe side. Lexi didn't seem to object, which was good. "We'll be coming up on the Nexus soon," Liam started again. "Why don't you head up to the bridge, Evee? You can take the ladder by the Pathfinder's quarters." She nodded her head in reply, thinking on that. She wondered what would be waiting for her there, and who exactly was flying this ship. Was it another friendly alien, or perhaps a human? Liam headed out the med bay door as Evee got to her feet, although she wobbled a little. "Hold on now. I haven't discharged you," Lexi said, putting a hand up. "C'mon, doc. She's good now, right?" Lexi looked over at Liam, getting her scanner ready. "One more scan, and then she is." Evee stood still as best as she could, hoping that the scanner would finish quickly. The doctor checked her omni-tool one more time before looking the human girl over, nodding her head. "Alright. You're free to go," she said in a soft voice. "Make sure you get plenty of rest, and drink lots of water. No sugar for a while, just to be sure." "So no cereal for her?" Liam asked with a laugh. The doctor shook her head in reply. "No cereal. It has too much sugar for her right now. Maybe a chocolate bar, but that's as far as your sugar intake should go, for now." "Doctor, thank you," Evee said with a smile. Even though this was her second encounter with aliens, she was sure these were the good kind. The ones before were beyond hostile, to the point they were willing to kill anyone who stood in there way. Maybe even other aliens. "Evee." The voice of Liam caught her attention. "C'mon. I'll take you to the bridge." She tucked a portion of her dark hair behind her ear as she slowly started to follow him, her mind still reeling with thoughts of Ryder and his crew. And now, with the people who will judge them as if they were criminals. Maybe they could be persuaded to release them? They didn't do anything wrong, technically. Was there a way to fix this? She dreaded what will become of them when they get there. They didn't deserve this, to be tried and put in jail. They were innocent.

Weren't they?

* * *

As the door hissed open to the bridge, Evee was mesmerized by the view of the stars and nebulas that surrounded them. The view from the window was all that enraptured her, causing her to stare at it in complete and utter awe. She hardly even noticed the alien pilot and the human woman sitting across from each other. They past a planet with a hurricane that nearly engulfed it's entire northern hemisphere, and practically the size of Earth's moon. It was oddly beautiful. "Setting coarse for the Nexus. Initiating system jump," she heard a male, squeaky voice say. "Coordinating... the path is clear for initiation," a female voice replied, her Australian accent strong and sweet. Evee seemed to ignore them as the view of the stars began to blur and then thrust them through space at light speed. She couldn't hold back a chuckle as she watched on, reaching into her pocket to retrieve her camera. However, as she patted her pant leg to feel for the digital camera that had all of her photos of their journey on it, it was revealed that there was nothing there. She began to panic, checking all of her external pockets in hope that it was there. But nothing could be found. Where was it? What happened to it? Did Alex take it for safekeeping by chance? As she thought these things, the door hissed again and was followed by familiar voices. "Evee!" She turned, the fear she felt for her missing camera dissipating, replacing with one of joy. "Niko!" Nikolai dashed and practically squeezed her, his dusty goatee gently scratching her shoulder as his face pushed against it. A tear streamed down his face, a soft sniffle emitting from his nose. "I was so scared," he admitted openly, still holding her. "I thought you were dead! When that guy brought you onboard, and you weren't breathing..!" "She's okay, Niko," Alex's soothing voice hushes him. "Evee's not going anywhere now. She's safe." Nikolai pulled away a little, still not wanting to let go. "But... you were out for almost two days! Are you sure you're okay now?" "Yes, Niko, I'm okay," Evee replied with a soft laugh. "If anything, I'm starving." The boy with the Russian accent laughed as well, his expression that of extreme happiness, even as tears began to flow.

"It's moments like this that make me happy, too," said the squeaky male voice. Evee turned towards the alien pilot, a brow raised. "Who are you?" "They call him Kallo," Alex said, coming up behind her. "He's a salarian, and the pilot of the Tempest." "Oh so you're gonna elaborate what species they are to her?" The sound of Judas' voice followed after Alex's, and was seen at the door before it hissed closed. Valentina was close behind him, and gave Evee a glance before looking away. Was she mad at her? Evee wouldn't blame her if she did. She is, after all, the reason they were even here in Andromeda. Alex snorted quietly to himself, crossing his arms. "Why not?" he asked Judas. "We might as well learn what we can about them. They're Milky Way species, after all." Evee's head snapped towards her childhood friend curiously. "Wait. They're from the Milky Way?" "That's right!" Kallo answered enthusiastically. "It took us 600 years to get here. We were in cryo, leaving the Milky Way in search for something greater." "And we found it... for the most part," the woman with the Australian accent replied, turning her head. "Oh. I'm sorry! I haven't introduced myself to you all yet. I'm Suvi Anwar. It's nice to meet you." Evee gave a friendly wave to Suvi, who continued to type away on her console. "We'll be arriving soon. ETA ten minutes, tops." "Thank you, Suvi," the salarian replied, clicking buttons on his console. Evee stared out the window again, watching as they warped at light speeds. It was beautiful; she wished she had her camera.

The camera!

"Alex, my camera," Evee began in a panic again, dashing over to him. "Do you have my camera, by chance? I was feeling though my pockets and I couldn't find it." The room fell eerily silent. She could see everyone didn't want to talk about it. She looked into Alex's shifting eyes, her hand touching his arm. "Alex..?" He gazed up at her, his eyes revealing a sort of sadness to them. Why was he acting like this? There was obviously something wrong. Was it her camera? Did something happen to it? "Alex, my camera. Where is it?" He tucked his lips into a frown, his brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He was trying so hard to find the words to explain this, and yet, a part of him wanted to hide it from her. But he knew it was only a matter of time before she found out. He looked up at her at last, biting back his fear and preparing for the worse.. "Evee. Your camera. It's..." He sighs, rubbing his face. "When you fell down those cliffs and cracked your helmet... you, uh... you landed on your camera." Her heart fell into the pit of her stomach, her blood running cold as ice from his words. He couldn't be right. He had to be mistaken! "After the Pathfinder guy brought you on board, they took you out of your suit. I checked it's pockets to see if it was okay. I know... how important it is to you." He held back another moment, trying to ready himself for what was about to transpire. He knew she was going to be heartbroken. That camera not only had memories of the past seven months, but they were memories for her father to see when they returned to Earth. Alex took her hands into his, bringing her close to him. "I'm sorry, Evee. I'm so sorry." Her lip quivered as tears formed in her eyes, her heart shattering into a million pieces. The one thing she promised her father before leaving was to capture the stars, and she broke it. She broke her camera in the fall. There was no way she could ever take pictures again, and now, it was broken. All because of her.

She nearly sank into the floor as she gripped onto Alex's tank top, almost dragging him down with her. Evee was extremely distraught over this, her cries becoming wails that could be heard throughout the whole ship. Suvi and Kallo both sat silently in their chairs, the pain hurting them just as nearly. The door hissed opened again, the soft footsteps of the Pathfinder gaining entry. He saw Evee weeping on the floor, his face expressing sorrow. He didn't know what she was crying about, but it was her pain he could sense. That's what hurt him back. Valentina stood next to Ryder, whispering in his ear. "That camera she always had on her. She broke it when she fell, so... like, that's why she's crying." He didn't answer. It felt wrong, given the situation. Especially after their earlier discussion in the cargo bay. Alex looked up at Ryder, somber blue eyes gazing into icy ones. The Pathfinder took a breath before slowly moving around them, heading towards the middle of the bridge. As he did, a console rose from the floor, lighting up as his hand touched it. "Evee," Alex cooed, helping her stand up. "We're almost there. To the Nexus. It'll be okay." "No," he heard her say, her bangs covering her downcast eyes. To her, all hope was lost. Her camera was the only thing that mattered to her now... and it was gone. "We're not going to be okay. We'll never be okay." She tries to hold in another loud sniffle, but can't help it. She trembles in Alex's arms, her face colliding into his chest. Ryder bites the inside of his cheek, his eyes glancing downwards in thought. The broken camera was still there, on the ship. Perhaps there was something he could do?

"Entering the sector," Kallo said at last, breaking the dreary silence. The Tempest pushed through the warp and was thrust into another star system altogether, revealing different planets and a softer atmosphere, surrounded by the light of the blue sun. Evee's head turned to see it, her chest swelling from the beauty of seeing all the planets from this distance. But the thought of taking a picture of it caused that elated feeling to dissipate, and soon, depression began to sink back in. Ryder turned to the salarian pilot, setting a navpoint. "Take us in easy, Kallo. These guys are still new to the Tempest." "As you say, Pathfinder!" He turned to look at the group before him, of these new people who were unlike any normal humans he's met before. They were from a time that didn't get to meet aliens in space, a time where the thought of interstellar travel seemed far-fetched, or make believe. He frowned at himself for his earlier actions towards the girl, Evee. He had to do this, even if he was regretting it. There was no room for error here. He had to try to make the right call.

"We'll be arriving soon," he said to them. Evee looked at him before snorting angrily to herself, trying to fight back her tears. The conversation between them still stung her, and she simply wished him away. But of course, there is no such thing as magic in this galaxy. "When we arrive, we will go straight to Director Tann's office. Then he and the others will decide what must be done." "What, wait?" Nikolai approached the Pathfinder, confusion in his soft, brown eyes. "What do you mean by that? What's going on?" "We're to be _judged_ ," Evee said in a disgusted tone as she peered over at Ryder. "And depending on what happens, we may be exiled or put in jail." "For what? We didn't do anything wrong," Nikolai objected, coming over to her. "Well, technically, Evee's the one who got us here," Valentina pointed out, her hands on her hips. "But's it's not her fault!" Judas snapped. "She didn't know what that machine was going to do! Hell, none of us knew!" "That doesn't help the fact that now Rocky and Sheila are dead, and Professor Stevenson is missing!" she snapped back, shoving him. The two continued to bicker before Alex came between them, pushing both of them off each other. "Hey, hey, break it up! If we start attacking each other now, we'll never get anywhere!" He took a step back, rubbing the side of his partially shaved head. "Now I know there is a lot of tension between us right now, but we need to suck it up and get our shit together. No more of this bullshit. Got it?!" Evee was glad that Alex was good at taking charge. He was more fit to lead than any of them, including herself. She tugged at her arm, sniffling again to avoid from crying.

Alex turned towards Ryder, crossing his arms. "Look, Pathfinder. We didn't do anything wrong here. We were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time." Ryder averted his gaze, sighing softly. "I know... but I have to follow protocol," he answered genuinely, although there was a hint of melancholy in his voice. Alex sighed harshly though his nose, clicking his tongue to himself. "I get that. You're a soldier, doing what you do best. Trying to protect your crew." Ryder peered over at Alex, nodding his head. "...I wish things were different," he replied at last, his voice now a lot more softer then Evee's ever heard before. It almost took her by surprise. She saw him peer over at her before he looked away, avoiding her eyes. "We came to Andromeda for a fresh start, to begin a new life in a new galaxy. Some of us are looking for adventure. Some, a home. That's my job as Pathfinder. Finding people a place they can call home. It isn't easy. But there is no one more qualified to do it now. This was my father's dream. I have to make it work." Evee felt her chest ache as Ryder made his speech, a part of her regretting how she treated him before. Even if a piece of her still is mad at him for how rude he acted towards her, she instantly felt the weight he had on his shoulders. To hear that he is trying to make his father's dream a reality, that struck a chord in her. She wondered what his father was like, and what had happened to him. Her mind was a jumbled mess, all these different emotions pulling at her from all directions. She felt dizzy, uncertain for what to do next.

As Evee tried to regain her posture, the Tempest was closing in to an enormous space station that floated above a cloudy planet, acting as a beacon to all who were to pass by it in space. She couldn't hold back the gasp she released upon seeing it, her feet acting before her head could wrap itself around this majestic structure. The Tempest was extraordinarily tiny compared to the Nexus, and everyone felt just as small. "Holy shit," Judas gasped, leaning over the railing to get a closer look. "That's the Nexus? Like, yikes it's scary," Valentina whined softly, taking a step back. Nikolai seemed like a child as he gawked at the construct, his mouth agape and his eyes glistening with awe. Alex peered over at Evee, seeing a little bit of light returning to her eyes. He was unsure as to what was going to happen when they landed. Were they going to be separated again, and put into holding cells, like she told him? Alex's took a hold of Evee's hand, smiling at her as she blinked over at him. "It'll be okay," he said softly. "I won't let anything happen to you. Okay? We'll stick together." She felt more tears beginning to build in her eyes, but she fought them back, smiling as well. "Y-Yeah. I... I know it'll be okay. I still have you, Bigby." He chuckled at the sound of his nickname, his forehead nuzzling against hers. "You got it, Little Red." Ryder offered a cheerless smile, as if a memory had returned to him and caused discomfort to his mind. He blinked a bit before looking away, biting back whatever emotion he must've been feeling. "I should send a message to Director Tann and the others, get them ready to meet us at his office," he said, acting professional and affirmative again. "When we land, meet me in the cargo bay. That's the way off this ship." He walked past Evee, taking a second to pause and look over at her with an obscured glance before departing at last. Evee watched as she saw him leave, her mind raging war between hating him, and wanting to learn more about him all in the same day. Why was she so conflicted when it came to the Pathfinder now? Was it because they both wanted to do something for their fathers? Is that what will connect them? As the door hisses close behind Ryder, Evee ponders...

What secrets does the Pathfinder have deep inside, and who is he - really?

She supposed some questions will continue to remain unanswered, even in Andromeda.


End file.
